The Novelist in the Lab
by LeaderOfTheRevolution
Summary: Lily Whitaker, crime novelist, solves a case through sheer luck. When she gets a permanent position at the Jeffersonian, a certain squint catches her eye. Zack Addy isn't used to someone like her. She doesn't make any sense, and he...likes it? ZackxOC
1. Lucky Guesses

A/N: Zack is not a killer. If you agree, please read.

I set this story before he got put in the loony-bin, because he was my favorite character and I hated how they did that to him.

* * *

I was twenty-four, a best-selling crime novelist, and part of the Jeffersonian Institute. I still found it a little hard to believe that, for the last two weeks, I had been welcomed into the group of people that Agent Booth called "squints". Even though I had no experience and next to no schooling in forensics, I'd managed to prove myself during that first week's case, earning myself a permanent spot at the Jeffersonian.

A girl's body had been found in the country. They had suspects, but no clear evidence. Then I'd shown up…

* * *

Two Weeks Prior

* * *

"Hi, my name's Lily Whitaker." I smiled at Dr. Camille Saroyan, sweeping my blond bangs out of my eyes.

"Novelist Lily Whitaker?" Dr. Saroyan's eyebrows raised. "_Tale of Bones_ Lily Whitaker?"

I laughed a little. "Yes."

"What can I do for you?" She certainly seemed busy, walking quickly around her office, straightening papers, glancing at her computer screen, checking her watch.

I fidgeted, feeling uncharacteristically nervous. What if she shot me down? _I should've dressed nicer_. I pulled down on the black shorts, trying to subtly lengthen them, and picked at an invisible piece of lint on my butter yellow tank top.

"As you're obviously aware, I write crime novels," I began with a deep breath. "Usually, I'm allowed to read the case files of solved murders, which is how my stories are so accurate. I was wondering—"

"You didn't have to come here in person if you wanted case files, Miss Whitaker," she said.

"Call me Lily, please. And I didn't come for case files. Well, I did, but not for my novels."

She frowned, pausing in her movement. "What for?"

I grinned, confidence slowly returning, and said, "I would like any information you have on the body found in Wyoming recently, Taylor Michaels. I believe I can help you solve the murder."

* * *

And that was how it had begun. Dr. Saroyan allowed me to accompany Dr. Brennan and Agent Booth to the crime scene.

"Stay here," said Booth, pointing at me as he parked the car.

"But if I'm stuck in your car, how am I going to look at the crime scene?" I protested.

"You aren't," he said simply. He opened his car door, stepped out. "Cam said you could go with us. Doesn't mean we have to let you actually be there."

"But—"

"And I don't want any chance of evidence contamination," Brennan added.

"There, you see." Booth smiled at her.

They walked across the road to the field where the body had been found. Booth surveyed the scene, his back to me, and Brennan bent down to get a closer look. Both of them completely missed the pickup truck that was parked not far down, a pudgy man in the driver's seat, watching them. Staring out the window in the back seat of Agent Booth's car, I was the only one who noticed the decal on the side of the pickup that read, "Ledger's Petting Zoo".

Booth and Brennan slipped back into the car about ten minutes later. I leaned forward, between the seats.

"Did you find anything?" I asked.

"Nothing that concerns you, kid," said Booth, putting the car in drive.

* * *

Back at the lab, I paced at the bottom of the stairs.

"I can help, you know," I said.

"I fail to see how," Brennan replied, examining the girl's bones closely. "There's small stones imbedded in her skull…" she murmured. "I also found a piece of hay on the bottom of her shoe, could you analyze it for me, Hodge?"

"Just let me up there. This is a little ridiculous."

Dr. Hodgins glanced up from his computer screen. "There was a bug in her clothing that I can't identify," he told Brennan. "It's squashed, maybe some kind of beetle."

"The stones are gravel," said a voice behind me. I turned around and came face to face with a cute brown-haired guy. He paused, blinking at me. "Um, hi."

"Hi." I smiled.

"You have very dark blue eyes," he said in a monotone voice. "Rare, considering most people with blond hair tend to have lighter pigmentation in their eyes."

I was trying to figure out how to respond when Brennan looked up from the bones and said, "Zack, what was that you said about gravel?"

"Ah, yes." He swiped a card and bounded up the steps.

"Come on, can't I just look?" I said, exasperated.

They ignored me. "The stones are gravel," said Zack, "imbedded into her skull pre-mortem. She was probably pushed onto the ground before she was killed. Her head hit the ground with enough force to embed the gravel into bone."

"Hodgins, can you identify the makeup of this gravel? See if there's anything we can use to—"

"She wasn't killed in that field," I called suddenly.

The three scientists turned their heads to stare at me.

"There wasn't any gravel in the field, no small stones. It was all grass, right?" I looked at Brennan. "Meaning she was killed somewhere else and then her body was dumped there."

Brennan bit her lip. "She's right."

I smiled, and Hodgins swiveled his chair in my direction. "How did you know that?" he asked.

"I told you I could help."

I turned away from them, heading out the door. I heard Zack's voice say, "Who is she?"

* * *

"Agent Booth?" I entered his office slowly, closing the door behind me.

"What do you want, kid?" He sifted through a stack of papers on his desk, rubbing his jaw in concentration.

"Don't call me kid," I said. "I'm twenty-four."

He barked out a laugh. "To me, that's a kid. What did you come here for?"

"I think you and Dr. Brennan should check out a business in Wyoming called Ledger's Petting Zoo."

* * *

Apparently, making the connection with the gravel had earned me brownie points with Dr. Brennan, as she ignored Agent Booth's whining and let me go with them to the petting zoo.

"Hold on," I said. "Stop the car."

Booth ignored me, staring out the windshield.

"Stop the damn car."

He pulled over, turning in his seat to glare at me. "What, kid?"

"I have a plan."

* * *

"This is a dumb plan," said Booth's voice through the receiver.

I rolled my eyes. "No, it's not."

"Was this in one of your books? It's never going to work."

"Yes, of course it was in my book," I snapped sarcastically. "Teenage girls being killed in petting zoos is a very popular subject."

"Just so we're clear, I was always against this."

"Yeah, yeah." I hung up, tucking the cell into my pocket.

I approached the man, a pudgy guy in bad need of a shave who I recognized from the pickup truck. The pickup truck which, I saw, was parked in a dirt driveway not far away. There was a barn and a few pens, one with a big stack of hay.

"Hello," I said cheerfully to the man. There was hardly anyone around. Business must be slow.

He grunted in response. "If you wanna pet the animals, it's ten bucks."

"Okay." I smiled, trying to remain friendly. I handed him the money. "I love animals."

Another grunt. I decided to just give up on that one, stepping into the pen and immediately noticing a small part where the dirt was blood red.

"What happened here?" I asked.

The guy's eyes narrowed. "One of the goats got injured."

I had a feeling he was lying. When Agent Booth pulled up, I scooped a bit of the bloody dirt into a bag while the guy was distracted. I also noticed that the goats were avoiding the hay pile. When the guy turned back to look at me, I made a show of using the brush on one of the posts to stroke a black goat nearest to me. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Booth question the man, and then walk over to me.

"Miss, can I ask you a few questions?" he said loudly, making sure the man could hear, and then whispered to me, "This is one half-assed plan."

"I found blood," I said. "Here."

I shoved the bag into Booth's hands, followed by a second, smaller bag in which a few pieces of bloody straw sat.

"Who is he?" I asked.

"Grant Ledger, he owns the petting zoo." Booth shifted standing positions.

"Put the bags in your pocket, quickly, before he looks over and sees."

Booth gave me a look that said he didn't enjoy taking orders from me. And really, there was no reason why he should. I was younger than him, and I should have had no idea what I was talking about.

I held up the brush I'd used to pet the goat, showing a small white speck. "Call Dr. Hodgins, tell him to cross reference the bug he found with lice or ticks."

"Why?"

"Because," I said impatiently. "If I'm right, this is where Taylor was killed. That guy, Grant whatever, said the blood was from a goat that got hurt. Do you see any hurt goats here?"

He glanced at the animals in the pen. There were two different pens; one held ponies, the other contained chickens.

"How do you know it was this pen?" he said.

"This is the only one with gravel _and _hay," I said.

"The chicken coop has gravel."

"Yes, but do you think it's logical that Taylor was killed in the chicken coop and then drug into a pile of hay, where a piece just magically stuck to her shoe?"

He stared me down for a minute. "We can't take him in," said Booth finally. "We've got no grounds. But I'll have Bones test the things you found, and if Zack can figure out the murder weapon, we'll come back."

* * *

"She was right," said Hodgins, looking at Brennan. "The bug we found? It's _linognathus stenopis_. Sucking goat lice."

"Good job, kid," grumbled Booth

Zack sighed in frustration. "I can't figure out the murder weapon. I know she was struck in the head by a slim object, possibly serrated, but it doesn't fit any knife I know of."

"Wait, let me see something."

"No," said Booth and Brennan at the same time.

"Come on! I've been doing a good job, you said so yourself, Booth."

"Don't touch anything," warned Brennan. She swiped her card and I went up the stairs, unable to control my grin.

"I don't know how you could help," said Booth. "These people are all qualified, they went to school for this."

I ignored him. "How slim?" I asked Zack, staring at the small rectangular shape.

"From the mark it made in the skull, I'd say three inches." He stood behind me, and I was suddenly well aware of him. The heat from his body radiated into me. He reached around me and pointed at the bone. "See how there's a bit of a jagged edge?"

I peered closely, ignoring the blush that crept up on my cheeks. Hodgins, however, noticed and raised his eyebrows at me. "Yeah?"

"That indicates that the blade was serrated," said Zack.

I thought for a minute, my lips pulling back in a slow smile. "Could it also be consistent with, oh, I don't know, a file?"

"A file?" He looked puzzled.

"Of course!" said Brennan excitedly. "If a file had been jammed into her skull, the rough edge would swipe against the bone, creating the jaggedness. How did you figure that out?"

"The petting zoo," I said. "Grant Ledger keeps goats and ponies. He needs to maintain their hooves, right? A hoof file! That's the murder weapon!"

"I'd have to check it to make sure, but that's definitely a possibility." Brennan smiled at me. "Good work, Lily. Have you ever considered a career in this?"

Booth grunted. "Okay, fine, you helped."

* * *

"We still need motive," said Brennan, watching Booth in the interrogation room.

"Does he have a son?" I asked suddenly, arms crossed over my chest.

Dr. Sweets and Dr. Brennan stared at me. Sweets was the first to recover, grabbing a manila folder.

"Uh, yes. Seventeen-year-old son Jacob. Why?" He looked at me curiously.

"He killed Taylor because Taylor broke his son's heart," I stated calmly. As both continued to stare, I added, "At least, that's my theory."

"But that's illogical," said Brennan. "Why would _he_ kill Taylor? It would make much more sense for the son to have done it."

"Does a seventeen-year-old have enough strength to not only wrestle a teenage girl to the ground hard enough to imprint gravel into her skull, but to shove a file into her head with enough force to kill her?"

Brennan opened her mouth and then closed it.

"Are you some kind of prodigy or something?" asked Sweets.

"Not really," I said, looking at the man opposite Booth. "I just know my criminals."

* * *

While Booth and Brennan went to arrest Grant Ledger for murder, I paced on the balcony of the Jeffersonian.

"Can't believe they're making me wait here," I grumbled. "I'm the one who figured out three fourths of this case, damn it—"

"I was wondering if you could explain that to me."

I jumped. "Zack, you scared me."

"Sorry. I have a tendency to sneak up on people." He smiled apologetically.

"I noticed," I said, laughing. "Explain what?"

"How you knew so much about the case." He took a step toward me, a bit of his hair falling in his chocolate brown eyes.

"I read the case file," I said, a bit flustered.

"No, I mean, you knew to go to that petting zoo."

"He was lurking around the crime scene and his truck had a decal on it—"

"You knew to look in the goat pen."

"It was the only one with gravel and hay."

"You knew the murder weapon was a hoof file."

"Lucky guess based on the fact that he had goats."

"Luck is illogical."

"Okay, fine, _logical_ guess based on the fact that he had goats."

"But the motive," he protested. "Dr. Brennan told me that you guessed his motive and ended up being one hundred percent correct."

"I just got lucky," I said. "It wasn't a particularly hard case. You guys would have figured it out without me here."

"You solved it so fast—"

"I don't know myself, Zack. I'm usually not that good. I just went where my gut and common sense dragged me."

"That must be some common sense," he said. "You connected dots that normal people wouldn't even think of."

"Um, thank you?" I wasn't sure how to respond. To be perfectly honest, I didn't really know how I'd been able to figure that out. _I must be more desperate to stay here than I thought_.

"Why are you here?" he asked. "Why the Jeffersonian Institute? Why go from writing books to investigating murders?"

"My brother was killed last year." I bit my lip, surprised that I'd said it.

"My condolences," said Zack.

"He was killed…by someone who was using tactics he'd read in one of my books." I swallowed. "So, I guess you could say I want to make it up to my brother. Maybe solving some murders will make up for the fact that I gave my brother's killer ideas on how exactly to do it."

"It's still quite impossible for you to have figured it out. You have no schooling. What's your I.Q.?"

I laughed shakily. "I have no idea."

"This is too unrealistic." Another step toward me. "You can't be anything short of a genius." He stated it like it was fact.

"I'm not too worried about that right now." I smiled weakly, trying to ignore the way my heart was stuttering as I realized how close Zack was to me. _Oh please don't tell me I'm crushing on him. I've only known him for, what, three days max?_

He was frowning, a puzzled look on his face. He tilted his head and my breath suddenly caught. _Stupid_, I chastised myself.

"Your eyes have little flecks of black in them," he murmured. "That's unusual."

* * *

Later, I would find out that Angela, Hodgins, and Cam were all in the lab below us, staring up.

"When do you think he'll kiss her?" asked Angela excitedly.

Hodgins shook his head. "He won't. Zack's super shy with girls."

Cam pointed at the balcony. "Evidently not. Look at that. The tension's just…" She gestured with her hands, apparently unable to describe it with words.

"I say he'll kiss her in the next month." Angela grinned.

"No way," said Hodgins. "I give it two months, _minimum_."

* * *

"Yay, I have unusual eyes." My feeble attempt to lighten the mood fell flat. His eyes searched mine, and his gaze flickered momentarily down to my mouth and back.

_Is he…Is he going to kiss me?_

He was certainly leaning down, his lips were definitely parted. I felt mine separate and I whispered his name questioningly. Slowly, torturously, his mouth descended until barely an inch was between us. I was stunned, almost scared to close my eyes. His eyes locked onto mine. My heart pounded in my chest, and suddenly my eyes fluttered closed and—

He stepped back. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I overstepped my boundaries."

And with that he was gone, and I was alone on the balcony.

* * *

A/N: okay, i posted this first chapter as a test to see if people like this and read it. so i won't continue it unless you tell me what you think.

if you liked this, please please tell me.

if you didn't, tell me how i can make it better.

please **review. **i can't stress this enough.


	2. Club or Bar?

A/N: okay. chapter two.

this chapter and the previous one have a pretty serious dollop of Zack-Lily-ness. after this, it goes slower. in a few chapters, there will be some more mentions of cases.

* * *

Present

* * *

"Hey, Hodge?"

Hodgins looked up from his microscope. "What is it, Zack?"

"Lily was offered a permanent position here." Zack was examining the bones of a middle-aged male, George Westfield, while he spoke.

"I figured as much. She's showed up every day since she helped solve that case. I think Saroyan is calling her an analyst now."

"She's strange," said Zack. "I don't understand her."

"_You _don't understand her?"

"Shocking, I know," he said in a flat voice. "The clavicle is fractured on the right."

"Was there a point to you mentioning the obvious?"

"I think there's a possibility that Lily is attracted to me." He glanced up at his friend.

Hodgins smirked. "Oh?"

"You haven't noticed it? She glances my way more often than necessary, and her heartbeat quickens. I can tell because she breathes more raggedly."

"Well, are you going to do anything about it? It's not like anything is happening with Naomi in Paleontology."

"That is true. However, I am not socially gifted. Things could be quite awkward."

"They're going to be awkward no matter what, dude. What matters is, do you like her?"

"There's extensive bruising of the sternum as well. He was probably struck by a blunt heavy object and knocked down. The force of fall could explain the clavicle fracturing if he fell on cement." He sighed. "The feeling of love or 'like' is a bio-defense mechanism in which the brain secretes different chemical compounds."

"Okay," said Hodge slowly. "But do you like her?"

"That's irrelevant, isn't it?"

"No, actually, I think it's very relevant."

"I find her very attractive." He bent down over the bones again.

"You're not getting off the hook that easily, Zack. You brought it up, remember? Is it purely physical attraction?"

"I find her very physically attractive," Zack adjusted. His mind, usually so focused, wandered briefly. Her long, creamy pale legs, and thin, flat stomach, the curve of her hips and the way her blue eyes glowed when she wore yellow… "Very extremely attractive," he breathed. Then he caught himself. "I don't know her very well. My lack of social prowess has hindered me in that regard."

"So, you aren't going to do anything because you haven't bothered to try and talk to her," said Hodgins, trying to wrap his mind around the younger man's logic. "Even though I witnessed your little near-kiss with her when she first got here."

There was a loud clatter as Zack dropped the metal tray in his hands. It hit the floor, the three bones he'd placed on it dropping with it. He picked them up slowly as Hodgins grinned, finally having gotten a reaction out of the stoic man.

"I need to go re-disinfect these," Zack muttered.

As he began to walk away, Hodgins called, "And I saw you two in Brennan's office yesterday."

Zack froze, turning slowly, a suspicious look on his face. Yesterday in Brennan's office…?

* * *

The Previous Day

* * *

"Dr. Brennan, you said you had a tape you wanted me to listen to?"

Brennan looked up from her computer at the smiling blond girl. "Right, Lily. This is a tape of the interrogation with Johnathon York. I want your opinion on options for motive."

"Surely Agent Booth has some ideas?" Lily took the tape recorder from Brennan, still smiling as if she knew how the older woman would respond.

"He does, but I still value your opinion."

"Thank you, Dr. Brennan. That means a lot."

Brennan gave her a questioning look. "I don't see why. Ah, Zack, there you are."

"Booth is in the lobby, they found another body." Zack glanced at the other female in the room. "Hi, Lily. Angela was looking for you."

"'kay."

Brennan left, and Lily was just about to do the same when Zack asked something rather odd.

"Where do you live?"

Lily blinked. "I'm sorry?"

"Studies show most people under the age of thirty live in small apartments," he said flatly. "I'm guessing that doesn't really apply to you since you're a best-selling author."

"No, it does," she said. "I live in an apartment. In Dr. Brennan's building, actually."

"That's quite interesting." His eyes moved briefly to her mouth. "Your lip is split."

"I bite my lip when I write, sort of a bad habit."

"You've been writing recently?"

"Yes."

"I see."

There was silence. Finally, Lily made a move as if to walk past him, but he stopped her again.

"When you lick it, does it taste like blood?"

She fought the urge to laugh. "I would suppose."

"May I try?"

"Try?" She frowned a little. "Could you, uh, reword that? I don't think I'm understanding what you mean."

"I want to see if it tastes like blood," he said, as if that was a completely normal, used-every-day kind of sentence. "I've never really tasted blood, you see. I have a bit of an aversion to causing myself pain."

"Can't you bite your own lip?"

"I suppose I could." Then he walked off, leaving her very, very confused.

* * *

Present

* * *

"Ah," he said dimly. "That."

"Yeah, that. When are you going to kiss her, dude?"

"I don't believe kissing is a necessary action."

Hodgins gaped, struck speechless for a few moments. "What planet are you from?"

"I believe it's called 'Earth'."

"Have you ever even kissed a girl?"

"Yes, I have." Zack set the tray of bones on the counter behind him. "I was not satisfactory."

"Basically, translating from Zack-speak to English, you aren't very good at kissing so you deemed it unnecessary."

"That is correct." Zack glanced at the computer screen.

"It also helps if you practice," said Hodgins.

"Practice with whom, I wonder. Have you identified the particulates from the victim's clothing yet?"

"Stop trying to distract me."

"I'm not asking to distract, I'm asking so we can find out who killed this man." There was a faint hint of anger in his voice. "If Dr. Brennan were here right now, she would be livid."

"Brennan is _not_ here, and I'm not done drilling you yet."

"Drilling him about what?"

Lily smiled innocently, her arms full of papers and files. Hodgins grinned at her.

"Nothing important," said Zack quickly.

"Okay." She gave him a weird look before addressing Hodgins. "Have you identified the particulates from George's clothing?"

Much to her confusion, Hodgins began to laugh. "The sediment contained traces of mercury and sodium hypophosphate."

"Sodium hypophosphate?" She frowned slightly, her lips pursed. "That's used in companies for nickel plating or as an additive in food. The mercury makes no sense. What does it mean?"

"You tell me." Hodgins grinned again.

She opened and closed her mouth. "I don't know what that means."

"You may be the only person in this lab willing to admit that."

"I want your take on something," she said suddenly. "Yours too, Zack."

He ignored her, choosing to stare instead at the skeleton laid out on the table. She tapped her hand on the stack of files she held. "Right," she murmured. Her cheeks stained themselves pink.

"Okay, so, the suspect is Johnathon York, 39-years-old, Caucasian male, five feet nine inches, 192 pounds."

"I'm not good with people-analyzing. Bugs and slime, remember?" said Hodgins with a chuckle.

"I know, but bear with me?" She pulled out a piece of paper, scanning it quickly. "He works as a manager at a local hardware store. Our friend George here got in a fist fight with him two days before his death.

"Do we know what the fight was about?" Hodgins asked, intrigued despite himself.

She shook her head. "York claims not to remember the specifics. But, here's what I found interesting. A week before George Westfield was killed, York's wife filed for divorce, and York seems to think there was another man. And get this: York's wife and George worked in the same office."

"You think the wife cheated on the suspect with the victim?"

"It's plausible, isn't it? York finds out his wife's cheating and confronts the guy. Fist fight doesn't end the way he wants, so he goes back later and bam," she gestured with her hand, much to Hodgins' amusement, "kills him."

"Very good, kid." Hodgins smiled. "Have you called Booth yet?"

"I was just about to—"

"King of the Lab!" Zack suddenly exclaimed, clapping his hands together in triumph.

"Uh, what?"

Hodgins groaned. "Again? Why?"

"The victim was killed by a blow to the head from a stainless steel hammer." Zack strode quickly away.

"Are you one-hundred-percent—" Lily called after him.

"I'm not comfortable with 'one-hundred-percent'," he called back.

"That's cheating, Lily helped!" shouted Hodgins as Zack vanished from view.

Lily frowned at him, confused. "How did I help?"

"You mentioned the suspect worked at a hardware store, that must have helped him make the connection." He glanced at something over her shoulder. "Hey, Sweets."

Lily turned.

"Is Agent Booth or Dr. Brennan here?" asked Dr. Sweets.

"No, I'm sorry."

He smiled nervously. "By the way, Miss Whitaker—"

"Lily, please."

"Lily, I've read your book, _Tale of Bones_, and I quite enjoyed it."

"Yes, well, that always seems to be everyone's favorite," she said, smiling lightly back.

"I would love to pick your brain a little. Maybe we could get together some time, maybe over lunch or dinner, possibly—"

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Cam and Zack walk back in.

"How about," she told him, "you just ask me out on a normal date and we skip the excuse of brain-picking?"

"Sure, sure!" He beamed. "How about Friday?"

"You can pick me up here after work."

"Great! Great! I'll see you then!"

Once Sweets was safely out of earshot, a shocked Cam approached Lily.

"Did you just agree to go on a date with Sweets?" she asked incredulously.

"He's cute. But if he pulls any of that psychoanalysis shit on me, I'm walking out." Lily laughed.

While Cam wondered momentarily if she'd walked into the Twilight Zone, Zack walked with sudden conviction to the digital simulation room. Lily followed.

"I like her," Hodgins said to Cam brightly.

Cam watched. "Does Zack seem…upset?"

* * *

"Could you do me a favor and run some simulations of how the victim could have been struck, and the height and weight necessary to achieve the blow and so forth?" asked Zack.

Angela nodded, smiling. "Sure thing, sweetie. Just let me go try them on the computer first before I use the Angelator."

She left the room. Zack turned, saw Lily leaning against the door frame, and turned back. This time, however, there was no skeleton to hide behind.

"Does that make it easier?" she asked softly, pushing off from the door frame. "Calling those people 'the victims' instead of their names?"

"They aren't people anymore," he said matter-of-factly. "They're just bones, remains."

"Not to their families, not to the ones who care about them." She walked toward him. "When do they stop being people, Zack?"

"When they die." He didn't want to turn around, afraid to see the tears he could almost hear in her voice.

"I don't believe that," she whispered. "I don't think I'll ever be able to look at a body in here and not think about their families or what their lives might've been like if they had lived."

"It's not logical to get attached," said Zack. "Part of the requirements for this job is that you don't let it affect you."

He heard her take a deep breath.

"Did you really agree to go on a date with Dr. Sweets?" he questioned suddenly.

Her voice took on a slight teasing edge. "Why? Are you jealous?"

"Jealousy is an illogical emotion, one which I do _not_ feel."

"Good, because you have no right to be jealous anyway, seeing as how you barely acknowledge me." Her tone had hardened. "Even now, when we're having a full conversation, you won't even face me."

He turned around. "Why would you want me to acknowledge you?"

"Maybe because I don't like being ignored!"

They stood close enough that their chests touched. His dark eyes smoldered even as his face remained perfectly blank, and for the third time in two weeks, she expected him to kiss her. And, for the third time, he walked away first, leaving her angry and surprisingly disappointed.

* * *

Lily applied her eyeliner with careful precision. Angela walked in, smiling.

"Almost ready, sweetie?"

Lily sighed, turning. "How do I look?"

While Angela had donned a slinky black dress, always a classic, Lily had gone more modern: her dress was short and grey, an open-shoulder style with three-quarter length sleeves and a cut out at the bust. The front was a metallic print of a black and gold rose. She wore a pair of black leather knee-high boots as well, the only part of her outfit she actually felt confident about. She pulled nervously at the edge of her dress.

"I've never been good with skirts," she muttered.

"A little makeup makes a big difference," said Angela approvingly. "But don't you have anything more hooker-ish?"

Lily's mouth dropped. "This isn't skanky enough for you?!"

Angela laughed and said, "I'm kidding, sweetie. You look great, really. You're a knockout."

Lily gave her a helpless look. "I don't know why I'm going along with this."

"We are going to a bar because I need to welcome you to the Squint Squad."

"I'm technically not a squint, I don't do anything except guess motives—"

"Brennan's going to be there, and Booth, Cam, Hodge, Zack—"

"Zack's going?" Fear flashed in Lily's eyes. "That's it, I'm changing."

"Stop, no you're not." Angela grabbed her arm, and Lily pouted. "You look hot. If you change out of that outfit, I will get Booth to shoot you. Now, let's go. We're going to be late."

"I don't need to look hot, it's not like guys are interested in me, and anyway, I have a date on Friday—"

"With _Sweets_," Angela said in an exasperated tone. "You and I both know that there is next to no chance of you wanting a second date. You need to have options."

* * *

That was how I, Lily Whitaker, allowed myself to be dragged to a bar on a Wednesday night.

* * *

Angela and Lily were the last to show up. Lily glanced around.

"I thought we were going to a bar, not a club," she hissed at Angela.

Angela grinned. "If I had said club, you would never have come. The only reason anyone's here is because I lied and told them bar."

Lily pulled again at her dress. As they walked in, Hodgins held up his bottle and called out to them. They were all sitting in a booth, Brennan by Booth, Cam by Hodgins. Angela smiled, sinking into the seat next to Hodgins. Lily shot her a look when she noticed that the only space left was next to Zack, who looked cute but somewhat out of place in jeans and a maroon button-down shirt. Lily remained standing, slightly concerned that the dress, which she'd actually borrowed from her sister, would slip too far up her thigh if she sat.

"I'll get the drinks," said Lily, looking over her shoulder at the bar across the room. She almost had to shout to be heard over the loud music.

"What fancy, fruit-flavored drink are you ordering?" Hodgins teased Angela.

"Martini for me, please and thank you," Angela said with a smile.

Lily nodded, walking to the bar. She felt eyes on her and refrained from checking that her dress was still covering her ass.

_I should not have worn this._

_

* * *

_

"Why am I here again?" asked Brennan. "I don't understand why Booth made me come."

Booth held up his hands. "Hey, Cam made _me _come."

"Well, Hodgins forced _me_ attend," said Zack.

"You mean none of you are here because you want to be?" said Angela.

"No," was the chorus of responses.

"I am," said Hodgins.

"Same here." Cam sipped her drink.

"Come on, guys," Angela sighed. "Lily needs to be welcomed."

"But why a club?" asked Booth exasperatedly. "Why not just a normal bar—"

"Because Friday, she has a date with Sweets."

Booth blinked. "Sweets. _Sweets_?"

Angela nodded gravely.

"Okay, I'm all in favor of staying for the kid."

"But Booth—" argued Brennan.

"No buts, Bones. This is a serious situation."

* * *

The bartender leered at Lily, which she ignored, and she took Angela's drink back to the booth, hesitantly sitting next to Zack with her own.

Booth and Hodgins stared open-mouthed.

"What?" she asked, feeling her face heat up.

Booth pointed to her drink. "Beer? You drink beer?"

"I didn't peg you as the beer type, Lily," Hodgins added.

"That's me," she said weakly. "Lily Whitaker, drinker of beer."

She took a swig out of the bottle to accentuate her point. Then she looked at Zack, who was staring down at the table and utterly ignoring the woman next to him. She watched him for a few minutes, drinking occasionally, before finally slamming her beer bottle on the table.

"So, we're playing this game again?" she demanded.

Zack looked up, confused. "Game? I wasn't aware we were playing a game." He turned to Hodgins for support.

"It's a metaphor," said Hodgins. "What she means is…" He stopped. "I'm not sure how to explain it."

"You're doing it again!" she burst out.

"Doing what?" Zack's brow furrowed.

"Treating me like I'm invisible." She drank deeply from her beer. "I'm going to dance."

She walked to the middle of the club, where a large group of people were gyrating to the beat of some electronic song. Zack's eyes followed her. Angela raised her eyebrows.

"That was quick," she murmured. "I guess she doesn't handle liquor well. Half a beer and she's already confident enough to go dance."

"Is it just me, or does Lily look extraordinarily attractive in that dress?" Zack asked.

Booth's expression began to match Angela's.

"Dude, is 'attractive' your new favorite word?" said Hodgins. "Usually, you'd have found a new adjective by now."

Still watching Lily as she danced, Zack replied, "I would think of another word, but my thought process is currently inhibited, limiting my vocabulary."

"This is what he calls limited?" Booth whispered to Cam.

"See how the dress hugs her body?" said Zack to either Hodgins or Angela, they weren't sure which. "That indicates the fabric is mostly rayon, probably with some spandex—"

"Stop analyzing her clothes, will you?" said Booth.

"Why?" questioned the puzzled man. "It's not like it's making her uncomfortable, I highly doubt she can hear what we're saying over the volume of the music—"

"It's making _me _slightly uncomfortable," the FBI agent countered.

Zack ignored him. "Her figure is quite pleasing as well, isn't it, Agent Booth?"

The man next to Brennan groaned wordlessly. "Hodge, make him stop."

"What? Was 'pleasing' not a good word to use? How about satisfying?"

"Clueless!" Booth exclaimed. "He's just _clueless_! I need another beer."

He stood, walking off to the bar.

"Zack," said Cam carefully, "why do you ignore her when she's near you and watch her when she's not?"

Hodgins and Angela shared knowing smiles. Brennan was looking just as confused as Zack.

"I was taught that it was rude to stare."

"That doesn't mean you flat out _ignore _her, sweetie. Plus, you're staring now," Angela pointed out.

"She moves quite well." Zack finally tore his gaze away from Lily. "I am not staring, Angela, I am observing."

The bartender having gotten him his beer faster than he'd liked, a grouchy Booth returned to his seat. "Why don't you just tell her that you think she looks hot?" He tipped his bottle back in a manly fashion.

Zack frowned. "It doesn't look like her temperature is raised—"

"Hot is a term meaning very, very good-looking," explained Cam with a smile.

"It's a commonly used word to describe when a male or female looks attractive," said Brennan.

"I see." Zack looked at Lily again. "Do you suppose that the rotation she can get from her hips suggests that her skills in bed would be tremendous—"

"Okay, I'm going to pretend you did not just say that," said Booth.

Cam and Angela nodded their agreement, while Hodgins simply began laughing.

"It's true, though," Brennan protested, defending Zack. "Females with the ability to roll their hips the way she is currently usually provide a more stimulating experience with their partners—"

"Can we not talk about this?" said Cam. "I think you're ruining the experience for Booth."

"Yes! Thank you!" he agreed.

"Why don't you go dance with her, Zack?" said Angela, daintily sipping her martini and receiving a kiss on the cheek from Hodgins.

The song changed, moving to a slightly slower, promiscuous rock song called "I Get Off" by Halestorm.

"I believe I've told Dr. Brennan this once before: I've been told I look like a marionette in a windstorm."

Brennan nodded. "It's true, he has told me that before."

"Suffice to say, I do not dance."

"He sings," said Brennan.

"But I do not dance. Nor do I know how to dance."

"Or drive a car, or ride a bike…" listed Booth.

"Or please a woman," Hodgins finished.

"Which also explains my hesitance when speaking with Lily."

Angela's smile grew wider. "Oh, you totally like her."

"I don't understand—"

"Dude." Hodgins drank from his beer. "It's beyond obvious that you're crushing on her."

"Crushing? There is no crushing going on here," Zack protested. "I don't understand your choice of words, Hodge."

"A crush is a slang term meaning temporary infatuation," Brennan said, curling her fingers around her drink glass.

"I'm not infatuated. Infatuation is a pointless emotion, it's illogical—"

"You are definitely infatuated," said Booth, laughing.

"She is someone whom I find physically appealing, nothing more."

Angela snorted. " 'Nothing more' my ass." When Zack opened his mouth to no doubt comment on that particular phrase, she added, "So her _personality_ doesn't appeal to you at all?"

"I've found her to be a generally caring, compassionate person, with wary confidence, modesty, and childish tendencies. All in all, however, she has earned my general respect."

"And affection," added Angela.

"Stop that."

"You didn't answer my question, Zack. Do you find her personality to be appealing?"

"What does it matter?"

Before Angela could respond, Lily came bounding back, her face flushed. She was smiling widely.

"Didja see me?" she said. "I _wasn't_ making a fool of myself for once!"

She drank more of her beer.

"I saw you, sweetie," said Angela. "All of us did. Zack, especially."

Lily frowned. Zack's cheeks went slightly pink.

"You were watching me dance?"

"I was observing," he said, glancing quickly at Angela who simply smiled angelically.

Lily leaned down until she was face to face with Zack and he restrained the instinct to look down at the cleavage her position revealed.

"Did you like what you observed?" she whispered, glancing down at his mouth with a sultry smile.

"I…"

She was close and she smelled of lavender, a smell that his incessantly rational brain could not explain. Perhaps she was wearing perfume…?

Then she pulled back, rolling her eyes. "Taste of your own medicine, Addy," she said. "Stop being such a tease."

She drained the last of her beer.

Booth was laughing. "How are you so drunk from only one beer?"

"Oh, no, I haven't only had one," she scoffed. "I forgot I had one already, so I ended up buying two more from the bar, but I finished those." She giggled. "And I'm not _drunk_, Agent Booth. I'm _tipsy_."

She sat down. "I'm tired. Let's talk!"

Zack was painfully aware of the petite woman next to him. His rational mind blamed the alcohol. His rational mind was wrong. He remained sober, hardly drinking, taking in everything she said.

Two hours passed before everyone went their separate ways. As Hodgins drove, he asked, "What are your thoughts about Lily's date with Sweets this Friday?"

"Three-fourths of first dates end in disaster," Zack stated blankly, staring out the window.

"What are _your _thoughts? Not statistics."

"I have no right to be jealous because I act like she doesn't exist." He repeated what Lily had told him.

"I didn't ask if you were jealous, dude." Hodgins was smiling.

"Good. Because I'm not."

"Whatever you say, Z-man. Whatever you say."

* * *

"That's three near-kisses in the last two weeks," said Angela, watching the road.

"Four," Lily muttered.

"And you initiated one of them. You _can't_ tell me there's nothing going on with you two."

"I _so_ can, Angela," said the drunk blond woman in the passenger seat. "I wouldn't date him anyway. He's frustrating. He's either half-kissing me or pretending I'm not there. I'm sick of it. He doesn't even care that I'm going on a date."

"Ah, so that's why you agreed to go out with Sweets."

"I'm a horrible person." Lily pouted.

"You're not horrible, sweetie. You aren't the first person to try and get a man jealous. If it helps, I really think he was bothered."

Immediately, Lily perked up. "You think?"

"Mhm." Angela watched her out of the corner of her eye. _Even if they don't admit it, they are both smitten._

_

* * *

_A/N: i really can't stress to you enough how important reviews are.

i've stopped writing stories because no one has reviewed them.

feedback appreciated.


	3. Fact: Arguments Lead to Bets

A/N: chapter three. i was going to wait until posting this, because i want something to post since school started today and i don't have as much time to type, but this is the last chapter before i start in on the case stuff and Lily's date with Sweets. so...here it is. the next few chapters are shorter. bear with me.

* * *

The next day, Lily walked into the lab with a pounding headache.

"Hey…whoa," said Hodgins, chuckling. "What happened to you?"

She twirled a piece of her hair on her finger, wincing at the red color it had taken on. "Well, I was still drunk when Angela dropped me off…"

"So you dyed your hair red?"

"No." She fidgeted, obviously embarrassed. "I filled my shampoo bottle with cherry Kool-Aid. Which I didn't notice until this morning…after my shower."

He shook his head and grinned. "Kool-Aid?"

"That's not important," she protested, blushing. "I figured out what the mercury means. There are silver mines near where the body was found, and why are you nodding?"

"I knew that yesterday, kid." Hodgins turned back to his microscope.

"You knew? Then why did you ask me?"

"I wanted to see if you would figure it out." He shrugged. "You're a little slower than Zack, but much faster than Booth. Congratulations, kid."

"That was a test?"

"If it helps, you passed."

Zack, who was re-examining the man's bones, said, "Even though you took over a day."

"Good morning to you, too, Dr. Addy," Lily grumbled angrily.

"I didn't say good morning," said Zack, confused again.

She rolled her eyes. "I know I took a day, but at least I figured it out, right?"

"You really accomplished nothing," he stated simply. "If you were to help, you should have been able to give a precise answer right then. As you did not, you were neither a help nor hindrance, and you therefore do not benefit us in any way."

Hodgins sighed. _Here we go._

"I'm sorry we can't all be geniuses like you," snapped Lily.

"The rest of us are. I don't expect you to be a genius, I simply expect you to at least know the basics if you desire to help." He looked innocent, like he wasn't aware he was insulting her.

"You think I don't know the basics?"

"I'm well aware that you don't know the basics. It's understandable. This is not your field of expertise, as a result you are less knowledgeable than we are."

She put one hand on her hip and held up a finger. "Give me one week, Addy. Then we'll see who's 'less knowledgeable'."

"It will still be you," he said incredulously as she walked away.

Hodgins put his head in his hands. "You really screwed that up, dude."

"What?"

"Booth is right. You are completely clueless. I always knew you were socially inept, but this is raising the bar, even for you."

"What bar?"

Hodgins didn't answer.

"Hodge?"

Silence.

"What did she mean when she called me a tease?" Zack completely abandoned his examination in favor of moving closer to his friend and whispering in a conspiratory tone.

"A tease is a type of person who works up a load of sexual tension and then just leaves it." Hodgins slipped another slide under the microscope.

"Am I even capable of creating sexual tension?" asked Zack, eyebrows drawn together in a frown.

Hodgins chuckled and replied, "If I hadn't seen it, I wouldn't believe it either, Z-man."

* * *

Booth came running into the lab, grinning.

"Where are Bones and the kid?" he called to Cam.

"Brennan is with Angela," said Cam, "but I haven't seen Lily since this morning." Zack walked up the stairs, holding a tray of bones. "Zackaroni."

He looked up. "Yes?"

"Have you seen Lily recently?"

Zack blinked. "Not since this morning, why?"

Hodgins, walking behind him, clapped Zack on the shoulder as he passed. "She and Zack had a fight."

"We didn't fight," he protested. "There were no fists involved, I didn't hit her—"

"Verbal fight," Hodgins amended.

Sighing, Booth said, "I'll check Brennan's office." He pointed at Zack as he backed away. "Twenty bucks says this is your fault."

* * *

"Kid?" Booth entered Brennan's office only to find it empty. He glanced behind Brennan's desk. "Hey, kid, you in here?"

"Why does everyone call me 'kid'?"

Booth jumped. "Jesus!"

"Actually, no, it's just me."

He turned. The woman was sitting in the corner, surrounded by stacks of books.

"Wow," he said, blinking. "That's…a lot of books. Are you seriously going to read all those?" He walked toward her.

"As many as I can in the next week," said Lily, not looking up from the book in her hands. "First, I need to memorize all the bones in the human body, that's what this one is for." She lifted the book she held to further explain. "And this stack as well." She gestured at the largest pile that was directly to her right. "After that, comes these," she pointed at the pile on her left, "which are all basic forensics books. Well, except this." She picked up a thick red book. "This one's more advanced."

"What about this pile?" He gestured at the stack that she had placed in between her legs.

She smiled thinly. "Entertainment purposes."

"Where did you get all these books?"

She waved her hand towards Brennan's desk. "They're all Dr. Brennan's. Oh, and I borrowed a book from Hodgins, too. I figured that having a little bit of knowledge on bugs and such wouldn't hurt anything." Her face scrunched up suddenly. "You don't think he'll mind, do you?"

"Uh, no," said Booth, hands on his hips as he tried to figure out how to approach the situation. "Can I ask _why_ you're sitting in a corner with over fifty books?" _Bluntness works._

"Not over fifty."

"You know what I mean."

She scowled, reaching beside her to a small white device. It was then he noticed she had an earphone in, apparently listening to music while she read.

"I'm no help to anyone," she grumbled. "I know nothing."

For a moment, he just stared, floored. "Well, uh, your job isn't really like the others, you don't need to know much about forensics—"

"But that's it, Agent Booth. I _do_. What am I even _doing _in this place? I feel like I'm five and trying to play dress up with adults. I'm the youngest in this lab, and I don't even do anything that _requires _a lab. I give you motives, so what? You were doing a damn good job of figuring out motives before I got here. And for half of these cases, you don't even _need _a motive to nail the guy. My job is like…It's like nuts on a sundae: optional."

"Where is all this coming from?"

"Someone told me that I don't even know the basics and therefore I am of no help." Her voice was becoming increasingly bitter.

"Who told you that, kid?"

She pulled her knees into her chest, leaning her chin on her kneecaps and burning a hole into the carpet with her glare. "Zack."

_I just made twenty bucks._

"There are people who are squints, and then there are people who are social," said Booth carefully.

She looked amused. "That sentence didn't even make sense, Agent Booth."

"Hey, back off, kid. I'm trying here." He paused. "Look, there are people like Zack, who are good with facts, and there are people like you and me, who are good with other people. Examples: Hodge, science guy; Angela, people person; Bones, science; Me, people person. Okay? So, just because you can't identify remains or cause of death or any of that scientific crap, doesn't mean you're worthless."

"I'm worthless _here_. I should've stuck with writing."

"You solved that Wyoming case, didn't you?"

"Lucky guess."

"Guess_es_. Plural. No one gets that lucky in one day, kid."

"Three days," she corrected with a smile.

"Are you going to pick apart everything I say, or are you going to listen?"

"Sorry."

"Point is," said Booth in exasperation. "While Zack is brilliant in the lab, he couldn't even hope to understand human nature the way you do. It's evident in your books."

Lily's head snapped up. "You've read my books?"

Booth opened and closed his mouth. "Well…yeah?"

A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Which one was your favorite?"

She waited, knowing his answer would be _Tale of Bones. _That was always everyone's favorite, even though she personally hated it.

"I've only read two, but I liked that one, oh, what was it called…" He snapped his fingers. "_Disintegrate. _That one."

Lily's mouth dropped. "Really?"

"Yeah, why?"

She shook her head slowly. "No reason, Agent Booth. And…thanks."

"Oh." He smiled, slightly unsure. "You're welcome, kid."

"If I ask really nicely, could you stop calling me 'kid'?"

"Not a chance." He peeked back in for a moment. "Oh, and by the way, I happen to like nuts on my sundae."

* * *

Having found Brennan and briefed her on the newest case, a dead body found in an old in-ground pool, Booth went to collect his twenty bucks.

"I never agreed to the bet," said Zack, slightly defensively.

"Unfortunately, I did." Cam sighed, reaching into her pants pocket and handing Booth a twenty-dollar bill.

He snapped it, looking smug. "Told you. It was his fault."

"Where was she, anyway?" asked Cam, leaning against the railing.

"Sitting in a corner of Brennan's office." Booth tucked the bill into his shirt pocket.

Cam watched him for a minute. "Oh, God, you're serious."

"Yep."

"What was she doing in my office?" asked Brennan.

"Lily was doing some light reading." He chuckled.

"There's no such thing as light reading," said Zack.

Booth sighed. "Never mind the phrase, Zack, I was being sarcastic anyway. She had these books, huge stacks of them, had to be at least twenty, all about forensics and bones, said something about needing to know all that stuff by the end of next week. No idea why she gave herself a deadline."

Zack suddenly froze, hunched over the skull of the newest body. Brennan looked at him, curiously.

"Zack?" she asked. "Did you find something?"

"Uh." He blinked, going into Rational Mode. "The victim is five eight, male, skull suggests late teens, African American…" He trailed off.

"Zack?"

"I'm sorry," he said slowly, puzzled. "I seem to have lost my train of thought."

Cam frowned. "What's wrong? Usually, you're extremely focused."

"I know." He straightened, looking at Booth. "Did she really say she was going to read all of them in a week?"

"Yeah. Do you…You said something to get her all upset, do you know why she's only giving herself a week to memorize all that crap?"

"I simply said that she was less knowledgeable than the rest of us and she walked away, saying 'Give me a week, we'll see who's less knowledgeable'. I told her it would still be her, and that was how it ended." He looked from Booth to Cam and back. "Did I say something I shouldn't have?"

"See, this is why you will never get a girlfriend," said Booth. "Bones, come on. Do you want to see the crime scene or not?"

"I'm coming, I'm coming." She walked quickly to catch up with him. She turned around, walking backwards, and added, "Oh, and Zack, do me a favor and get Angela to match up the dental records so we can ID the victim. Wait up!" The last sentence was aimed at her partner.

"Wait, Booth!" called Cam. "Where's Lily now?"

"She's still in Brennan's office! Just let her read," Booth yelled back.

Then both were gone. Zack turned to Cam.

"I don't understand," he said. "What was Agent Booth referring to when he said 'this' is why I'll never get a girlfriend?"

Cam smiled thinly. "Never mind that right now, Zack. Just try and focus on the remains."

* * *

A/N: review please.


	4. Lily aka Geek Number Two

A/N: this is just a humorous little exchange. i think it fits nicely with their characters. sorry it's so short.

* * *

"All I'm saying is that they could have continued the series. They only canceled it because Joss Whedon is implausibly expensive."

"He _is _the successful creator of the _Buffy the Vampire Slayer _series, and the popular spin-off, _Angel_, thus it is common sense to assume he requires an exceptional amount of money."

"Either way, it was cruel of him to cancel the series after only one season. They didn't even end up airing half of the episodes on television."

"It was not cruel, it was rational. No one was watching it. _Firefly _didn't even become popular until after it was off the air."

"That doesn't make any sense. That's…That's like saying that _Stargate Atlantis _was a better series than _Stargate SG-1_."

"That is a true statement."

"Oh, _gross_, you like _Atlantis _over _SG-1_?"

"Yes, I do. It was also the most popular."

"Not even close, Addy. _SG-1_ had ten seasons. What did _Atlantis_ have? Five?"

"Their final season was more widely-watched—"

"That's because _SG-1_ had already finished their final season. People had no more Stargate to watch unless they settled for _Atlantis_."

"Plus, _Atlantis_ had more character development."

"Character development? Yeah, right. The only believable characters in that whole series were McKay and Dr. Keller."

"Jewel Staite isn't the same caliber as Joe Flanigan and Jason Momoa."

"Yes, she is! She was in _Firefly_, too. What has Jason Momoa been in? Bad science fiction TV movies."

"Not all of them are bad, his acting is still superb—"

* * *

Angela caught sight of Hodge and Cam leaning on the railing, looking down. She approached them.

"What are we watching?" she asked slowly, peeking over Cam's shoulder.

"Geek argument," replied Hodge gleefully.

"Zack and Sweets again?"

"Better: Zack and _Lily_!"

* * *

"Unbelievable! You're deprived!"

"I was taken very good care of—"

"Not that kind of deprived. I mean, since you haven't seen _Rent_, you have been deprived of an amazing cultural phenomenon. Do you understand when I put it in those terms?"

"Very well, yes. However, I don't see the appeal in a musical about AIDS—"

"It's not _just _about AIDS—"

* * *

"How long have they been at it?" Angela stood between Hodge and Cam, watching.

Hodge glanced briefly at his watch. "A little over an hour."

"Do we know how it started?"

Shaking his head, Hodge said, "They had been going before I started watching."

"I joined him about twenty minutes ago," said Cam, her eyes trained on the two people below them. "This is the most I've seen Zack talk about something non-forensic for this long."

The man and woman sat on a couch on the main floor of the lab, directly in view of the balcony, but neither were paying any attention to the small group of people gathered to watch them. They were fully focused on each other.

"What are the chances that she was a sci-fi fan?" murmured Hodge. "I'm waiting for them to start a music debate next. I've noticed how Lily always seems to have her iPod."

"I wonder how long they can keep this up," said Angela with a smile.

"Something tells me it'll be a while," Cam replied.

* * *

"Next I suppose you'll be telling me that _Star Trek: Next Generation _was better than the original."

"Absolutely not. I never understood the point of the second series. The first series was excellent enough and ended in a very rational manner."

"The 'next generation' thing was basically overkill. They just wanted to make more money off of the idea."

"Overkill?"

"You know how sometimes bodies are brought in that have a lot of injuries that occurred post-mortem? How the person is dead, but their murderer keeps stabbing or hitting or shooting?"

"Yes."

"That's called overkill. It's not a technical term, really, and it's not usually applied literally like that. It can be applied to society when talking about franchises—"

* * *

"The kid's getting good," Hodge grinned. "She's explaining things in ways he can understand."

"She's learning." Angela placed her hand over his and gave his fingers a gentle squeeze.

* * *

"It's the same as that metaphor, then. Beating a horse with a dead stick."

She had to stop herself from laughing and covered her smile with her hand. He noticed anyway.

"I said that incorrectly, didn't I?"

She nodded, clearing her throat. "The phrase is actually 'beating a dead horse'."

To her surprise, he smiled a little. Her laughter bubbled forth.

"I'm socially incompetent," he said.

"I'm forensically incompetent." She shrugged.

He looked at her and she smiled.

"Have you ever watched a popular science fiction show called _Battlestar Galactica_?"

She rolled her eyes. "Don't get me started. I _hated _the way it ended."

"I thought it was an interesting way to tie everything in."

"Everything was flowing so nicely and then they screwed it all up by saying she was a ghost—"

* * *

On the balcony, Cam, Hodge, and Angela smiled.

* * *

A/N: again with my original plan was to wait longer before posting this. but its so short...

okayy, let me know what you think please.

**review.** please and thaaank you.


	5. Not So Sweet Date

A/N: okkaaayyy. i was told to think more about my story. little bit late since i've got the next two chapters already typed and i can't exactly rewrite the whole thing...well, i could, but i like my story, haha. and yeah, the way she got the job was somewhat simplistic, so thanks for sticking with me guys.

* * *

The next day, fixated on her newest debate with Zack, this time regarding a series he had not yet begun watching—"It does not seem very interesting." "Oh, just watch one episode."—, Lily didn't notice the wall was there until she hit it. Stunned, she stood still and stared at it with an expression of How did _that_ get there?

"Distracted?" called Sweets from behind her.

She turned. He was standing in the doorway to the lab, smiling. She began laughing. "Yeah, pretty much."

"Ready to go?"

"One sec!" She popped her head into Cam's office. "My cell is on. Tell Booth to call me the second he gets a suspect on that new murder case."

"The boy in the pool?" asked Cam, glancing up from her paperwork.

"Yes." As an afterthought, Lily added, "Please."

* * *

"What case was it that you were talking about?" Sweets asked as he drove.

Lily's eyes dimmed slightly in sadness even as excitement took over her features. She loves this job and hated it. "A body was found in an in-ground pool of an abandoned house. Angela ID-ed him as an 18-year-old named Tommy Curthers. The neighbors have been on vacation for a month, Brennan estimates that Tommy's been dead for around two weeks. Booth is still working on suspects."

He parked the car, and she stepped out into the parking lot.

"Zack hasn't identified cause of death yet, either."

Sinking into the booth of the diner, she sighed. "Tommy had been accepted to Brown University on scholarship. He wanted to be a journalist by the looks of his apartment."

"Booth let you look around the victim's apartment?"

Lily flinched. "Technically…sort of?"

Sweets leaned forward over the table and lowered his voice, a look of shock on his face. "You _broke into _the victim's apartment?"

"I didn't _break in_," she hissed. "There was a key in a flower pot near the door. I wore gloves and remembered to put it back. I just wanted to see what Tommy was like, what kind of person he was. A person's living space says a lot about them."

He sighed and she smiled, pleased. The waitress came by to take their orders, pausing conversation. At least he was being real and not trying to woo her with fancy restaurants. This was the first time she hadn't seen him in formal attire, she realized. Her was wearing a dark red polo and jeans, and suddenly her mind wandered to how much better Zack looked in maroon compared to Sweets.

"Lily?"

"What? Oh, sorry." The waitress had left with their orders and evidently Sweets had asked her a question she hadn't heard.

"You're distracted," he observed. "Is it about the case?"

_If by case you really mean Dr. Zack Addy, yes._

"A little." She sipped her soda. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. What I said was: I noticed you call the victim by his name. You're different from the others."

"Just because they're dead doesn't mean they no longer have names," she said, bristling.

"It's a defense mechanism so no one is too affected or attached—"

She cut him off. "I know. I just feel like if their name isn't said every once in a while, they'll be forgotten. If all we focus on is 'the victim', we forget why we're trying to catch the killer."

His expression became sympathetic. "Because of your brother."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"You're worried that when your brother was killed he ended up nameless in a lab just like the Jeffersonian. You're afraid that he became just another body."

"Caleb's body was never found," she said, her voice cracking just slightly on his name. "And how do you know about that?"

"I read your file," he said, sounding surprised. "It's necessary that I do a full evaluation—"

"Evaluation? Of my mental health and stability, right?" she mocked.

"Your skepticism is to be expected," said Sweets carefully, "considering what happened to you when you were younger—"

Lily's hands gripped the edges of the table. "Don't you dare bring that up."

"We're going to have to talk about it eventually, it's very important. It was a crucial moment in your development—"

"_Development_?" She stared at him in disbelief. "That wasn't _development_, Sweets, that was _hell_."

"It's an interesting quirk you have, that when you get agitated you don't let others finish their sentences—"

"You're going to tell me that what happened made me who I am today."

"Your tendencies to act childish on occasion are an attempt to regain what you lost in your early childhood," he stated. "It's very common, Lily—"

"I am _not_ discussing this with you, _Doctor_ Sweets. Not now, not ever." Angrily, she stormed out of the diner.

She picked a direction and walked randomly as tears sprung to her eyes. _Don't cry, _she told herself. _Not over that. Happy thoughts. _The first thing to pop into her mind was, predictably, Zack. _Angela's right. I like him. _The second thing was, _I'm lost._

She dug into her purse for her cell phone, blindingly dialing the first number she thought of. She didn't register her mistake until a deep voice asked, "Hello?"

She cleared her throat. "Booth?"

There was silence for a while. "Kid? What are _you _doing calling me?

Swallowing, she sniffed and said, "Um, can you…Can you come pick me up?"

* * *

"Weren't you warned that going on a date with Sweets wasn't a good idea?"

"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind," she muttered, her whole body turned away from the FBI agent driving the car.

"Are you crying?"

She wiped at her cheek, trying to pass it off as brushing her hair away from her face. "No."

"If you're crying, kid, I _will_ kick his ass."

Lily snorted. "Don't bother. He was just doing his job."

He gave her an incredulous glance. "He was on a date with you, not an appointment."

"He can't help being a psychologist. He can't help—"

"He can help what he says," Booth interrupted. "What'd he do to make you this upset?"

"He 'read my file'."

"There's more to it than that, kid."

She stared out the window in silence. After a long pause, he said, "You don't have to tell me, I understand—"

"My brother."

Booth looked at her, at the road, back at her. She still didn't turn away from the window.

"He mentioned my brother."

There was another long pause, and just as Booth thought he wouldn't get anything else out of her, she spoke again.

"Last year, my brother was murdered. His name was Caleb, he was twenty-nine, and he had a baby daughter I've been trying to adopt for months." She took a deep breath. "The killer is a man named Drew Hecklend. He read my book and used the plot and ideas of the killer I created to kill my brother. Caleb has still not been found, and Hecklend is on the run."

"God, kid." He shook his head. "I'm sorry. Did you ever think he might still be alive?"

She finally turned to him and there were tears in her eyes. "I think about it every day. But I know in my heart he's gone."

* * *

"Where are we going, Booth?"

He turned the car to the left. "Cam said you wanted me to call when I got suspects for that new case, right?"

"Well…Yeah?"

"And why would I call you if you're sitting next to me?" He smiled.

"You're going to let me help you question the suspects?"

"Well, technically we're talking to the family first, but, yeah," said Booth.

Lily's face lit up. "Really?" Suddenly, her eyes narrowed. "You're only doing this out of pity."

"Only a little, kid."

She shrugged, turning back to the window. "Strangely, I'm okay with that."

* * *

They pulled into the driveway of a small, one-story suburban house, the home of Tommy Curthers' parents. The lawn was neatly trimmed and perfectly green, the kind of green that made Lily suspect there was Astroturf involved.

"This is the kind of house we used to pelt with eggs in high school," she muttered as she exited the car. "It's all…perfect and junk."

"Very perceptive," said Booth sarcastically.

He led the way to the front door.

"Try to let me do most of the talking," he told her quietly.

The door opened to reveal a petite redheaded woman in her mid-forties and a graying African American male who, though he towered above Booth, could easily have passed for sixty.

"My name is Agent Seeley Booth." He brought out his Badge-O-Doom. "FBI."

* * *

A/N: okay, now we're getting into the case-y stuff. **review** please.


	6. Horrible at Acting Normal

A/N:holy eff did i get a lot of reviews for that chapter. :D haha. that's good, very good. i just want to address some things: i know it's fast paced, but i imagined this in TV-show-form so i imagined it more fast paced. and i apologize if Lily seems too perfect. i thought i had made her pretty normal and non-mary-sue-like, but eh.

uhmm, that's it i think.

okey dokey then. enjoy.

* * *

"We're very sorry for your loss, Mr. and Mrs. Curthers," said Booth.

Lily looked at him. "Don't say 'we'. I don't want to be included."

Booth narrowed his eyes. She knew he was regretting allowing her to come.

"Kid," he said in a warning tone.

"I've been on the other end of that generic apology, Booth, I want no part of it." She turned to Mrs. Curthers and leaned forward, touching the woman's hand lightly. "I really am sorry, Mrs. Curthers. I know what it's like to lose someone, and I know how much it hurts, but if there's anything you think can help the investigation, please tell us. I want to find the person who did this to your son."

Mrs. Curthers sniffed. Mr. Curthers put his arm around his wife and said, "Tommy was a good kid. He never did anything wrong. I just can't imagine who would want him dead."

"Did Tommy have many friends?" asked Booth. Lily kept her gaze locked on the wife. "A girlfriend, maybe?"

"No girlfriend," said Mrs. Curthers. She dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. Lily smiled encouragingly. "He said he was saving himself for the right person."

"He hung out with some boys from the Drama Club at school, but that was it," supplied her husband.

"Anyone in particular?" asked Lily gently.

"A boy named Eric Jameson," Mr. Curthers said, nodding. "Tommy brought him home a lot. They would sit in Tommy's room and listen to music or rehearse monologues. Eric's a year older, has his own apartment. They started hanging out there about two months before Tommy moved out."

"John never liked Eric much," Mrs. Curthers added suddenly. "Bad seed, that one. But Tommy was a good boy, didn't get into trouble like Eric."

* * *

"Next stop, Eric Jameson," said Lily, stepping into Booth's car.

"Yeah, maybe you should wait out here for that one." Booth pulled out of the Curthers' driveway.

"What?" She stared at him, crestfallen. "But I thought I did well! I really connected with the wife."

"The husband, however, looked a little upset that his case was in the hands of a kid."

"I'm _not_ a kid!" She huffed, contradicting herself. "He wasn't upset over _that_, anyway."

"His tone said otherwise."

"His tone was only forced like that because he mentioned that Eric guy. Plus, I think he was lying." Lily rolled her eyes and snorted. "Tommy was involved with something his father didn't like."

"Well," said Booth grudgingly, "hopefully Eric Jameson will tell us what that is."

"So, I don't have to stay in the car?" Lily looked hopeful.

"Never said that."

* * *

"How's it going?" asked Brennan's voice through the receiver.

Booth glanced at Lily, who was sitting in his parked car with an annoyed expression.

"Oh, you know, the usual. How're you?"

"These journalists ask the weirdest questions." Brennan was at an interview for her newest book, which meant that, despite her protests, she couldn't be with Booth to question the suspects.

"Uh huh." He looked away from Lily. "Did you know the kid can pout for an hour straight?"

"Wait, 'the kid'? Lily's with you?"

"Yeah, she walked out on Sweets and asked me to pick her up, it's a long story." _Speaking of which, her car's still at the Jeffersonian._

"Why is she pouting?"

"I told her she had to stay in the car while I spoke to a possible suspect." He checked on her again and grimaced. "She's got this look on her face like I killed her puppy."

"You killed her puppy?" The anthropologist sounded confused.

"No, I—Bones, focus."

"You should let her go with you, I'm sure she could provide assistance. She's very good with people."

Booth sighed. "You're no help, Bones."

* * *

Lily had crossed her arms over her chest. This sucked. Booth had no faith in her—

There was a click as the car doors unlocked. She looked up in surprise. Booth stood in front of the door to the apartment building, holding his keys. Grim-faced, he gestured for her to come. She burst into a grin and practically leaped out of the car.

* * *

"Eric Jameson?" said Booth into the intercom. "This is Agent Seeley Booth, FBI."

Lily moved her arms, urging him on. Booth sighed exaggeratedly.

"And my associate from the Jeffersonian."

Lily scowled. "You couldn't have mentioned my name?"

* * *

Eric Jameson's apartment, on the fifth floor of the building, was a complete mess. He invited them inside, leading them into the living room. He pulled a few shirts off of the couch.

"I'm sorry," he apologized nervously. "I'm not good with organization or cleanliness."

"It's alright." Booth smiled.

Eric was a small teen boy, with sandy brown hair and freckles. He had a nervous habit; his fingers always had to be moving. Lily and Booth say on the couch, Booth opening his mouth to start the questions, but Lily beat him to it.

"We understand that you are friends with a boy named Tommy Curthers," she said.

Booth fixed her with an incredulous look while, Eric, who was moving his fingers as if playing piano, answered her.

"Uh, yeah. He's my best friend. We were in Drama Club together in high school. We still hang out. We're even planning to go to the same college." Eric looked concerned. "Is he in trouble?" He glanced at Booth inquiringly.

Booth took a deep breath. "Tommy is—"

"By 'hang out', what do you mean?" Lily interrupted. "What do you do?"

"You know, normal guy stuff," said Eric, shrugging. "Video games, music, practice theater…"

"Smoke weed?"

The boy paled. "What? We never did—"

"Is that why Tommy's father doesn't like you, Eric?" she asked, leaning forward just slightly. "Does he know that you and his son are smoking pot?"

"Mr. Curthers doesn't like me because I'm—" He stopped, looking down at his hands.

"You and Tommy are together," said Lily gently. "Romantically. Aren't you?"

"Whoa, whoa, that's enough conclusion jumping for one case, kid," Booth interjected.

"I'm not conclusion-jumping. I noticed it when we came in. Despite this place being a mess, it smells like citrus. It's common for drug-users to cover up the smell left behind using air fresheners." She looked at Eric and said, "I'd switch from citrus to something stronger. Try vanilla or lavender."

"Or, or," said Booth, "don't do drugs at all. There's a thought. And wait a minute," he added, looking at Lily, "_you_ always smell like lavender."

"I like it. It's therapeutic. You know, relaxation and all that jazz."

Booth was staring at her.

"What?" she asked. "Is it so hard to believe that I did drugs in high school?" She looked at Eric, who, besides looking at them both like they were crazy, was lacing his fingers together. "The CDs on that shelf match the posters in Tommy's room at his parents' house, you remember? And those shirts," she pointed at the pile Eric had moved off the couch, "are too big for you, Eric. They're for someone about five inches taller than you."

_It also helps that I snuck into this apartment and got a look around for myself, _Lily thought. _Can't tell Booth that, though. So I'll just let him think I'm just that smart. _She smiled to herself.

"Tommy didn't get his own apartment," said Booth, finally making the connection. "He moved in with you."

"He did have his own apartment originally," Lily interrupted, remembering the kind woman in Tommy's old apartment (when she had gone looking for Tommy's living space) who had told her about him moving out. It was thanks to that woman, whose name she had forgotten, that Lily had found and successfully entered Eric's apartment for her inside look.

"What's this about?" asked Eric, somewhat angrily. "If Tommy's in some kind of trouble—"

"Tommy's dead," Booth deadpanned. "Has been for two weeks."

"Oh, God." Eric put his head in his hands. "I thought…Oh, _God_. Who did it?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out, Eric." Lily sighed.

"His dad thought…" Eric sniffed. "His dad's a Christian. He thought I'd turned his son over to the Dark Side or some crap like that. When Tommy went to visit his parents and didn't come back, I'd just assumed…"

"You thought Tommy had left you since his father didn't approve." Booth shot Lily another look.

Eric looked up at them sadly. "I should've known better." His eyes watered and he looked back down. "Tommy loved me. He wouldn't leave me. I…I can't believe he's dead."

* * *

Lily sat in the car, a contented smile on her face.

"Or," said Booth, "Tommy and his dad got in a fight because his dad confronted him about Eric and Tommy refused to leave him, so—"

Booth had been at it for the last half hour. She was waiting for him to realize he was swapping ideas not with Bones, his partner, but with someone whom he considered a kid.

Suddenly, it seemed to hit him, because he abruptly stopped talking.

"Your car's still at the Jeffersonian," he said. "I'll take you back."

"Oh! Yes, please!" Her smile grew. _Now's my chance to show up Addy._

_

* * *

_

As it turned out, Lily was forced to wait until Monday to return to the Jeffersonian. She'd forgotten she didn't have to come to work on weekends. She sat at her desk in her small apartment, her laptop in front of her, and cracked her knuckles. She had a deadline to meet, and another one hundred and forty pages to write. Her weekend was uneventful; besides burning her dinner on Saturday and falling asleep on her computer on Sunday, nothing of any interest occurred.

* * *

Monday morning, she rushed into the Jeffersonian at top speed. She was already behind everyone else; she was almost sure that Brennan would have come in over the weekend. When she saw Zack bent over the fleshless remains, she had the sudden urge to stomp her foot. Zack looked up suddenly.

"Lily?"

"Hi," she said, trying in vain to not sound grouchy.

"You sound grumpy today," he observed bluntly.

"I had to work on a deadline all weekend." _Perfect. Just blame it on work._

"Didn't you have a date on Friday?"

Lily nodded. She stayed where she was, feeling awkward.

"How did it go?"

"Fine."

There was silence. Lily began to walk away, thinking their short, meaningless conversation was over. _I'll just wait_ _until next time. I still have a couple days. Besides, I can't remember half of the bones…_

"Do you not like Dr. Sweets?" asked Zack, truly confused.

"He's nice." She sighed. "But all he wants to do is pick my brain. Metaphor," she said when Zack opened his mouth to ask. "I…_intrigue_ him, but we don't have anything in common. After ten minutes, we ran out of things to talk about that didn't involve work. I talk with _Booth_ longer than that." She rubbed her temples. "I argued with you for, what, four hours?"

"Four and a half. Does arguing really count as talking?" He picked up the skull of Tommy Curthers and examined it more closely.

"I'm pretty sure."

"So, if you don't like Dr. Sweets, who do you like?" He frowned suddenly, and thought, _That's out of character. I don't use such small words as 'like'. And I shouldn't be asking. Her life is personal.  
_

She laughed. "You sound like you're in high school."

"I don't know what you mean." Now his frown was directed at her.

"Didn't you ever ask a girl out in high school?"

"I wasn't very popular with girls."

"Well, that's their loss." Lily smiled again. "I guess since you've got everything under control here, I'll just be going."

* * *

"Hodgins?"

"Yeah?" Hodgins was looking into the microscope, taking one last final look at the particulates from Tommy's clothing.

"What does it mean when a girl says 'that's their loss' when referring to other girls?"

_He seems to be asking me a lot of non-work-related questions lately. _Interested, Hodgins looked up and swiveled his chair around to face his friend. "Well, that depends. Who said it?"

Zack wasn't examining the bones like Hodgins had expected. He was on his knees, arms folded on the table. His slightly unfocused expression was one Hodgins had seen on him often since Lily arrived. _Ah, it's about Lily._ Zack's eyes suddenly trailed away, following something behind Hodgins. When Hodgins made a move to turn around, Zack got a slightly panicked look on his face. He shook his head, obviously telling Hodgins not to look. Hodgins grinned and turned around anyway. Zack snapped to a standing position and suddenly became engrossed in examining Tommy's pelvic bone.

"Lily," said Hodgins, upon seeing the strawberry-blonde-haired girl. The red color her hair used to have—caused by a shampoo bottle filled with cherry Kool-Aid—had evidently rinsed out. In one hand, she held her laptop, iPod clutched in the other. "What are you listening to?"

"Uh…" She fumbled with her music player. "Snow Patrol." She blinked. "Why?"

"No reason. Just curious."

"Okay," she said slowly. "Well, I'm going to go talk to Angela. So…later."

She walked away, her foot catching on air, and she stumbled, but luckily did not fall. Hodgins waited until she was out of earshot before turning back to his friend, to whom he said, "You are horrible at acting natural, Z-man."

"Why did you do that?" Zack demanded.

"Do what?" asked Hodgins, feigning innocence.

"My body language and expression _clearly_ portrayed that I didn't want you to turn around."

"Oh, relax, Zack," Hodgins said. "Was Lily the one who said that to you?"

"Yes. What difference does it make?"

"Dude." Hodgins shook his head. "She was flirting with you."

* * *

"Angela?"

"Yes, sweetie?" Angela was toying around with Tommy Curthers' image on the Angelator.

"If a guy asks who you like, what does that mean?"

Angela looked up. Lily was playing with the hem of her shirt, her tone carefully casual. Angela smiled.

"What, are we in high school again?" she asked.

"Told him it sounded like high school," Lily grumbled to herself.

"Who asked you?" Angela fixed Lily with a stern gaze and added, "You better tell me, sweetie. I'm bound to find out one way or another."

"Tell me what it means."

"well, it depends on who asked." At Lily's look, Angela sighed and said, "Usually, when a guy is curious about that, it means he's interested. Now, I'm only asking one more time: Who asked you?"

Zack suddenly jogged into the room. "Is Lily in here, Angela?"

"Um…" Angela looked to where Lily was trying to hide by ducking down behind the sofa in Angela's office. Lily gestured fiercely at her. "Yes, she's in here."

Lily smacked herself in the forehead and stood. "Right here, Addy." She waved shortly. "Can we talk later, please?"

He gave her a weird look. "I figured out the murder weapon. I thought you'd want to know…Am I interrupting something?"

"No."

"Yes." Lily glared at Angela.

"I was under the impression you wanted to know immediately." Zack looked at Angela and asked, "Am I doing something wrong?"

"No, sweetie," said Angela. "She's just embarrassed."

"Embarrassed? About what?"

"Nothing," Lily snapped. "I'm not embarrassed. When I am done talking to Angela, I'll come and asked what the murder weapon is, okay? Why don't you call Brennan in the meantime?"

He gave her another strange glance and walked away. Angela was beaming.

"_Zack_ asked you? That's not like him."

"What?" Lily's face burned. "I never said—"

"You didn't have to," Angela said. "Your blush says it all."

Lily exhaled loudly and ran her fingers through her hair, pushing it back away from her face.

"You didn't handle that very well," Angela continued, pointing at where Zack had been.

"I know," Lily said with a sigh. "I panicked."

"Don't panic. Ask him out."

"Uh, no." Lily gave a breathy laugh. "I don't even know for sure if he likes me, and besides, I was raised very conventionally."

Angela raised her eyebrows. "Meaning what?"

"Meaning the guy asks the girl. Not the other way around."

"If that's what you're waiting for, it'll be a long time. This is Zack we're talking about." She paused. "Speaking of Zack and murder weapons, I thought you were going to demand that you do it."

Lily flushed again indignantly. "Why?"

"You've gotten pretty bossy around us--" said Angela jokingly.

"Hey!"

"--and you figured out the murder weapon before Zack during that one case."

Lily grunted. "Complete fluke," she said. "I've spent the last week reading anthropology and forensic books, and I can tell you one thing: I have no idea how these people do it. It makes no sense to me. I don't think I would have been able to figure out the weapon that time if I hadn't visited the petting zoo."

"The way you figured out that case _was _pretty suspicious."

Lily only sighed, having no explanation. Angela, smiling, let silence fall.

* * *

"Okay." Lily smiled, approaching Zack where he stood by the table of bones.

"Cause of death is asphyxiation."

"So, he was strangled?"

"Precisely." He gestured at the bones in the skeleton's neck. He wasn't sure why he was telling her instead of Brennan first; Lily wasn't his superior. However, there was something about how captivated she looked when he went into detail about things. He knew his work was important and that Brennan appreciated it, but Brennan had never looked at him that way. So, he explained in-depth how Tommy had been killed and what had been used. When he was finished, she was smiling.

"I'll call Booth."

* * *

"It's the kid," said Booth, handing Brennan his phone. "Answer it."

"You answer it. It's your phone."

Leaning against his car, Booth sighed and flipped the cell open. "Yeah?"

Booth listened, a smile forming on his face. Finally, he said, "Okay. Thank Zack for me. Call if you get anything else."

He hung up.

"Well?" Brennan demanded.

"Zack found the murder weapon." Booth stepped into the driver's side. "Tommy was strangled with a leather belt."

"What does that mean?" Brennan, having been absent during suspect questioning, looked confused.

"It means," he said as she sat in the passenger seat, "we have to go talk to the suspects again."

"I don't understand why Lily called you," said Brennan. "Usually _Zack _calls _me_."

Booth just chuckled.

* * *

"I am placing you under arrest for the murder of Tommy Curthers."

* * *

Lily rushed to her car, eager to get to the interrogation room. She had just received a call that Booth had arrested someone for Tommy's murder. She had managed to persuade Booth to wait until she got there to start the actual interrogation. She didn't want to miss this.

There was a strange man standing by her car. He was slim, clean-shaven, with slightly greasy-looking black hair. He smiled at her, and she froze. She recognized him. _Oh no_. She turned to run, and heard the telltale sound as he pulled a gun.

"Is that any way to greet me after all these years, Lily?" He laughed cruelly. "Come here. Give your Uncle Drew a hug."

* * *

A/N: well? who do you think murdered Tommy?

i want your opinions. oh, and feedback.

^_^


	7. Confessions and Abductions

A/N: 41 reviews! :DD my goal is one hundred by the time i complete this. heehee. okay, there was a little confusion created during last chapter, but hopefully this will clear it up and add some new questions.

:] enjoy.

* * *

Booth paced the length of the room, occasionally glancing through the one-way glass.

"Where _is _she?" he snapped. "I did her a favor by holding off the interrogation until she got here, but it's been over an hour!"

"She has a cell phone, doesn't she?" said Brennan. "Call her."

Sweets was oddly quiet. Brennan pointed it out and Booth said, "Lily walked out during their date."

"Oh." Brennan looked at Sweets sympathetically. "Did you try to analyze everything she said?"

"What?" said Sweets, getting defensive. "No." He looked out at the suspect on the other side of the glass. "Maybe. You know, that's personal, Agent Booth."

"Uh huh. Sure. Zack?" Booth was speaking into the receiver and scowling. "Zack, what the hell are you doing with Lily's cell phone?"

"She left it here," said Zack. "Your call got her so excited that she rushed right out. What are you doing _calling _Lily's cell phone?" Booth could hear the frown in Zack's voice. "Isn't she with you?"

* * *

"Where are you taking me?" Lily sat in the backseat of her car. He hadn't tried to block her view; she was able to stare out the windows. It was as if he didn't care that she could see where they were going. Her eyes were drawn to the handle of the door, but she could tell he was driving much too fast for her to attempt an escape.

"Remember the last time you said that to me?" Drew Hecklend sighed contentedly. "You were curled up in a ball, crying—"

"I was six."

"You know," he said, smiling, "you've made my job a whole lot easier. You don't even have a cell phone on you, do you?" He chuckled. "Now, all that's left is to pick up where we left off. Won't that be fun, Lily?"

* * *

"Her car is gone," said Hodgins. He looked worried, his paranoid mind probably sifting through the hundreds of things that could have happened.

Zack looked at him. "Maybe she's caught in traffic."

"There's no way traffic is that heavy, Zack."

"I checked the security tapes just in case," Cam said, entering the room.

"And?" asked Zack.

"And," continued Cam with a grim expression, "Lily was kidnapped."

* * *

"We know you did it, Mrs. Curthers," said Booth, sitting on the edge of the table. His voice was level. The woman's lower lip trembled. "There's evidence linking you to Tommy's death."

She sniffed pitifully, her eyes red. She shook her head and let out a choked sob.

"Why did you do it?" he asked, leaning towards her. "What could have made you strangle your own son with your belt?"

"He was..." she began. "He was living with that...that..._man_."

Booth waited. Soon, he knew, the dam would break.

"My only son," she said, "was sleeping with a..._man_." She was saying 'man' like it was an incurable disease. "He lied to us, he did drugs. His father knew, John always knew, but no one told me. They lied to me. When Tommy visited, I was suspicious, so I followed him. I caught up to him and I..."

"You pulled off your belt," Booth supplied in a solid tone.

"I was only going to punish him." Her voice cracked. "But we started to yell, I tackled him, and somehow it ended up around his neck..." She stopped, unable to continue. She put her face in her hands, but not before Booth saw the tears. "I didn't mean to kill him. I didn't, I really didn't. I loved Tommy, _loved _him."

With a sigh, Booth looked through the one-way glass and nodded slowly.

* * *

"Kidnapped?" repeated Sweets.

Brennan, who had been watching Booth in the interrogation room, suddenly snapped her head to look at Sweets.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"There was a guy holding a gun to her head as she got in the car, so yes, I'm sure." Cam's voice in the receiver sounded agitated.

"I'll be right there."

"What? Why?"

"I need to see the tapes," said Sweets urgently. "Don't argue, it's important, Dr. Saroyan." He hung up and turned to Brennan. "Get Booth."

"But the suspect—" she protested.

"She already confessed. Besides, this is more important: Lily's been kidnapped."

* * *

"Why did you kill Caleb?" Lily swallowed. _Think of something. Anything. You have to get out of here._

"Haven't the police been telling you I didn't do it?" Drew was smiling.

"Bullshit."

"Quite right. Your brother was a nuisance. I bet you're wondering what happened to his body." He smelled strongly of tobacco.

Lily said nothing.

"Aw, you're not mad at me, are you, cutie-pie? You remember when I called you that last time?"

"You're insane."

"That means a lot to me, cutie-pie."

* * *

He didn't blind-fold her when he led her out of the car. At least that much was different. He did, however, handcuff her. As he placed her hands behind her back, he leaned forward a tad and whispered, "Kinky, eh, cutie-pie?"

She wrenched her head as far away from him as she could. His breath smelled like an ashtray. After all these years, he still smoked.

"I changed my name," he said conversationally, steering her towards the small building she remembered. "Moved to Oregon. I saw you on T.V., heard you'd gotten a job at the Jeffersonian, and thought I'd come to say hi. Didja miss me, cutie-pie?"

At her silence, he gave her an extra hard shove. She stumbled forward, nearly losing her balance.

"You were a lot more fun last time."

"Why the same place, Hecklend?" she snarled.

"It brings back memories, cutie-pie," responded her kidnapper, "of the good old days, before little six-year-old you put me on the FBI grid."

"My apologies," said Lily through gritted teeth. Her heart pounded in fear, but his gun was, for now, put away. She had a hope that Booth would find her, and find her fast.

* * *

"Pause it." Sweets peered over Angela's shoulder as she paused the security tape. "See there?" He pointed. "Play." Angela obeyed. "See?" he said again. "Her body language, look."

"So?" asked Booth impatiently. "This isn't helping us find her, Sweets."

"No, just look. Her body language suggests she knew him."

"Okay." Booth shrugged his shoulders, arms crossed over his chest. He was irritated. "Are you going somewhere with this?"

"Patience is a virtue, Agent—"

"Maybe you don't understand the severity of the situation, Sweets," the agent said in a low voice, advancing on the psychologist. "Some nut with a gun has the kid."

"I know who took her, Agent Booth," said Sweets.

"How?" asked Angela suddenly. "The man's face is out of focus. The more I zoom in, the worse the quality becomes—" She stopped before she could launch into an explanation about pixels, concerned it would sound too squinty.

"When she was six years old, Lily was abducted from her home. I'm willing to bet this is the same man."

* * *

"She was taken at night, snatched right from her bed. The man who took her drove for miles to this abandoned shack, where he locked her in a bare room and tied her to an exposed pipe."

Sweets paused. It was hard for him to retell. Brennan's eyes were beginning to redden. Angela's hand was over her mouth.

"He kept her there for a week. She hasn't told anyone what he did to her. She refuses to talk about it." Sweets licked his dry lips.

"Oh my God," said Angela.

"The man," Booth said. A muscle in his jaw twitched. "What was his name?"

"Drew Hecklend."

There was silence for a moment until Booth said, "Hecklend? That's the man Lily thinks killed her brother."

"Her brother's body was never found," said Sweets, looking at Booth, who thought, _He knows all of this from her file? How in-depth _is _her file? _"There was nothing tying Hecklend to anything. The only thing to signal her brother's death was a large amount of his blood on the floor of his apartment, but Lily apparently has it in her mind that he's dead and Hecklend killed him."

"Okay, now here's the important question." Everyone turned to stare at Zack. "How does this help us find her?"

* * *

A/N: **review** please and thank you.

:]


	8. Memories Can Hurt

A/N: i was going to wait until i'd written more or gotten more reviews before posting this, but i really wanna see peoples' reactions. plus, it's been what, two days since my last chapter for this?

this chapter delves more into Lily's past and reveals why she hates her most popular book, _Tale of Bones_, so much. it also shows more of the relationship with her brother. and of course, the Squint Squad's desperate attempts to find her. muwahaha. haha.

* * *

She sat with her back against the dirty plaster wall, her hands handcuffed above her to the rusting metal pipe. She kept her head down, avoiding the sight that had made her break down crying moments before. Or was it longer? The tear streaks on her face had dried. How long has she been here? Hours? Minutes? She heard the door open but didn't look up.

"Your spirit is broken already?" said Hecklend. "An hour and you're done? How disappointing." He lifted her chin. Her eyes shifted to the horrible, horrible _thing_, back to Hecklend. They widened slightly at the gun he held. He followed her gaze. "Oh, silly Lily. You know I'd never hurt you. At least, not in a way that would leave physical scars."

Hecklend grinned in the dark. "Now, cutie-pie, are you going to let me have you or are you going to try and struggle? It's so much more fun when you struggle."

* * *

"We found Lily's car," said Hodgins.

"Great!" said Booth, approaching the squint. "That means we know where she is—"

"Not necessarily," Hodgins interrupted. The FBI agent groaned and thought, _Why is it never that simple? _"Her car was in the parking lot of her apartment building."

Booth stared at him in disbelief. "What? Somebody put it _back_?"

"I think that's a safe assumption." Hodgins sighed. "I took particulates from the floor of her car. There was rust, copper, and plaster dust on the driver's side, plaster dust with asbestos in it. They stopped using it after the 1980s, when it was proved that asbestos led to mesothelioma."

"Does that help us?"

"Well, it means that she's being kept in an older home, probably one built between 1960 and 1970."

"Can you be more specific?" Booth was getting antsy.

Shaking his head, Hodgins said, "I can't know any specifics until I have something to compare the particulates to."

Booth snapped his fingers. "The case files from Lily's childhood abduction. I'll get you those as soon as I can."

* * *

Lily retreated deep into her mind in an attempt to avoid the trap Drew Hecklend had set up for her. Unfortunately, this opened the floodgate of memories that had previously been successfully buried.

_

* * *

_

_"You can't write things like this, Lily!" Her father towered over her._

_Her mother stood behind him, looking like she'd eaten something rotten._

_"What's wrong with it?" Lily demanded. She was fourteen._

_"It's creepy!" her father boomed angrily. His face was red. Lily noticed absently that his brown hair and mustache were going gray._

_"So?" she asked. "It's good, isn't it? So what if I'm good at writing creepy—"_

_"I will _not_ have my daughter's name on this!" He shook the stack of papers in his hand. There were over two hundred in all._

_"Then I'll publish it under a pseudonym! April says that book is good enough to be considered—"_

_"_April_? April Hart, the editor? Ha!" Her dad laughed. Lily flinched. "She's setting you up to get hurt, Lily. You can't possibly think anyone's going to actually pick _your_ book over the hundreds of others they get everyday."_

_Tears welled in Lily's eyes. Seeing this, her mother stepped forward, put a gentle, restraining hand on her husband's shoulder._

_"Bill…" she began._

_But Lily had already stormed to her room. With a shrill cry of "I hate you!", she slammed the door._

_

* * *

_

Caleb was in college when that happened, attending Harvard University to become a lawyer. Thinking of her brother, Lily began to cry again. She shouldn't be this upset, and she wouldn't be this broken, except for one small thing. There was something in the room with her, something she had seen when Hecklend had brought her in and something that she now could not forget. Nailed to the wall opposite her was a mangled, decomposing corpse that, despite being there for months and months, was undeniably and irrefutably her brother Caleb.

* * *

"I want results, Hodgins, and I want them now."

Hodgins rubbed his temples. Booth had come to call. _Again_. "I'm doing the best I can, Booth! Whoever was assigned to this case was a complete idiot—"

"Just—" Booth paused, aware of his volume, sighed, and lowered his voice to normal. "This is how we're going to find her, Hodgins."

"Booth," said Hodgins in mock surprise. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you care about Lily."

"See, now, instead of making jokes, you should be working." The FBI agent turned away in what could only be described as embarrassment.

Zack, having heard only the last few sentences, said, "Is Agent Booth romantically interested in Lily?"

Hodgins chuckled despite himself. Zack had still not picked up on Brennan and Booth's obvious chemistry. "It's more like fatherly affection. Hence why his fond nickname for her is 'kid'." _He's even got me calling Lily 'kid' every once in a while. _At his friend's confused look, he added, "You really don't understand people very well."

"No, I do not."

Hodgins sobered and went back to scanning the case file. Lily was out there in the hands of a monster who had taken her before. Booth was right; this was no time for jokes.

* * *

_Caleb laughed. "I'm touched, Lil."_

_"Good. You should be." Lily smiled at her brother to show she was joking. It was her twenty-first birthday, and Caleb had brought her to a bar to celebrate by buying her her first legal drink. "Not everyone gets a dedication."_

_"Well, I _was_ the only one in the family who encouraged you. I deserve it," he said, grinning. "You even took my advice on the title."_

_"I have to admit, 'Tale of Bones' is pretty catchy." _

_She sipped her drink and winced. Inspired by what her mother used to order, she had gotten a lemon martini. She looked at her brother's beer. He laughed again and pushed it towards her._

_"Fine, fine, I'll be the designated driver."_

_She took a swig of the beer experimentally. "I don't understand how people can drink flavored vodka." She made a face at the half-full martini glass._

_"It's just a matter of taste, Lil." _

_He leaned back slightly, careful not to fall off the barstool. His blue eyes, so like her own, were bright, his face alight with laughter in a way she herself could never look. Her features didn't light up when she smiled, not like his did. She didn't have the joy and excitement dancing behind her eyes like he did. Her hair didn't gleam a shimmering, multi-faceted gold in the sunlight like his. People had always thought that they were twins, despite the nearly six-year gap in their ages, but the truth was simple: they were nothing alike._

_"So, what time does Kathy want you home?" Lily swallowed more of the beer, having decided that she enjoyed this particular alcoholic drink._

_"I don't think Kathy will mind if I get home late," he said, his cheeks going slightly pink at the mention of his longtime girlfriend. "She knows it's your birthday."_

_Lily smiled. "When are you going to propose?"_

_Caleb got a faraway look in his eyes and said, "Soon. I'm hoping soon."_

_"Promise I get to be the godmother of your kids. All twenty-seven of them," she joked._

_"Ha-ha, sis."_

_"Well, you two do it like bunnies, it wouldn't surprise me if you ended up with a ton of kids—"_

_"If I promise to let you be godmother, will you stop?"_

_Holding back her laughter, Lily nodded._

_"Okay, fine, you're the godmother."_

_"Yes!"_

_Caleb sighed._

_Propping her chin in her hand, Lily asked, "What would you name your child?"_

_"Depends."_

_"On what?"_

_"Girl or boy?"_

_"Girl," Lily snorted. "Your first kid is most definitely going to be a girl."_

_"How do you know?"_

_"Call it a feeling. What would you name her?"_

_Caleb thought it over for a moment. "Adeline," he decided. "I would name her Adeline."_

_

* * *

_

9 month old little Adeline appeared in her mind, then Kathy, who died shortly after Adeline's birth. They were followed by Caleb's face, a perfection Lily could never hope to achieve, a perfection which would always put her in second to him.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "You shouldn't have died. I should have."

"You're right," said a male voice. "Caleb shouldn't have died. But if I killed you…" She heard a chuckle. "Well, who would I play with then?"

She tried to turn her head away from him as he grasped her chin between his thumb and forefinger. Drew was smirking.

"Shh," he said. "I told you I wouldn't hurt you enough to leave scars. I don't want a damaged toy." Something in his hand caught the faint light of the room. "It'll only hurt a little, cutie-pie."

"Let me go," she said weakly. She felt the needle slide into her neck.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Lily. I'm not done with you yet."

Then the needle was gone and she was once again alone in the room. That's when the pain started.

* * *

"I've got it!" Hodgins exclaimed, whipping his head up from the microscope.

"It?" asked Booth, running in.

"The particulates from her car match the particulates found on her clothing after she escaped when she was six." Hodgins was grinning. "I know where to look for her."

* * *

A/N: weeeeellll? whaddya think???

i made Hodgins be the one to figure out where she was because he's been sort of pegged as the comedy relief/Zack's relationship counselor for this fic and i felt bad. i apologize if there wasn't enough Zack in this but i am saving it for the next chapter.

^_^

**feedback! reviews!**

pretty please with anything you want on top?


	9. Of Stowaways and Bullets

A/N:eeeep! 53 reviews! that's very good, the best i've done on here, but...still a while until i hit 100. O_o

in answer to your question, kaaayyytteee, yes i am skipping the gormagon thing. :] i hated that, too. so i guess this is maybe a little bit AUish. but not really. if that makes any sense.

* * *

"I made mistakes last time, cutie-pie," said Hecklend. "Mistakes that let you get away."

She was slumped against the wall as he spoke.

"You won't get away this time."

"Yes, I will." She licked her dry lips.

He stiffened. Her bloodshot eyes glared up at him. She did her best to avoid looking at her brother's body.

"They'll figure out where I am," she said.

"And then the FBI will come for me, is that right?" He laughed loudly.

_Booth will come. He _will_._

Hecklend left her, and she slowly fell into a fitful sleep and began to dream. In her dream, it was not Booth bursting through the door to rescue her. Gunshots came from outside, the door swung violently open, and who else but Doctor Zack Addy walked in, his brown hair mussed, his dreamy brown eyes searching the room, locking on her. He said her name, released her from the handcuffs. Booth appeared in the doorway with a captured Hecklend in tow. Zack leaned forward, their lips touched—She jolted awake.

_I have to stay calm. I can't break. They'll come for me. I know they will._

_

* * *

_

"Bones, I thought I told you to stay at the Jeffersonian."

Brennan looked at him from the passenger seat. "I'm not going to let you go alone—"

"I won't be alone, I've got backup coming—"

"Besides, you aren't the boss of me, Cam is, and I want to help you save Lily."

"As do I." Zack's head suddenly popped up from the backseat.

"Shit!" Booth slammed on the brakes and whirled in his seat. "Zack, what the _hell_ are you doing here?"

Cars honked and drove around them.

"I said he could come," said Brennan, immediately coming to Zack's defense. "He cares about Lily just as much as you do."

"He's a _squint_! He belongs in the lab, not in the field!" Booth yelled furiously.

"Why is it such a big deal—"

"_I don't want to have to worry about protecting you both!_" Booth's voice shook the car slightly. "This guy Hecklend is _dangerous_! He won't hesitate to shoot either of you!"

Zack, who was unused to dealing with the FBI agent's anger, looked frightened.

"You wouldn't have to protect me if you gave me a gun," Brennan reasoned.

"You know what? No. Out."

"You can't kick us out of the car—"

"It's _my_ car, damn it!"

"Booth, calm down." Brennan met his eyes. "Let us help rescue Lily."

Booth took a deep breath. His fingers flexed around the steering wheel.

"The longer we argue about it," said Zack, "the less chance there is of retrieving her uninjured—"

"Zack?"

"Yes, Agent Booth?"

"Shut up." He sighed. "Bones…Hecklend makes any move you don't like, you shoot him. Got me?"

Brennan nodded and took the small gun from Booth's outstretched hand.

* * *

_She was six on the night when she fell asleep in her pink daisy bed and woke up in the back of a van. She screamed, but the gag over her mouth muffled it. She tried to thrash and soon realized she was bound. The van stopped and a young man opened the door. His black hair was greasy and his beady black eyes stared down at her with a frightening look. She cowered away from him as tears leaked from her eyes and a telltale warmth below her waist told her that she had wet herself. He pulled her out of the van and blindfolded her as she tried to struggle. He dumped her on a hard cement floor, removed her blindfold, and grinned at her._

_"Hi there, cutie-pie," he said, his hands busy tying her to an exposed copper pipe. "My name's Drew."_

_She whimpered._

_"I won't hurt you." His grin widened and his expression became sinister. "Tell me, cutie-pie. Have you ever been raped?"_

_

* * *

_

Hecklend was in the middle of 'picking up where he left off'. The handcuffs had already come off, but any thought she had of escaping or even of struggling flew out of her head at the gun he held to her temple. So she bit her lip harshly and tried not to cry. She was still fully clothes, however, when the obvious sound of a car came from outside. Hecklend froze and stood. He didn't look at her as he said, "Wait here." Then he left and it didn't take long before she realized she wasn't handcuffed. She could run.

* * *

Booth parked the car and practically flew out of it, gun held aloft. Brennan followed, as did a hesitant Zack. There was movement in one of the dirty windows. Booth advanced, kicked in the door. He entered a short, narrow hallway, a doorway on either side of him. To the left was a dust and grime covered room that at one point may have been a kitchen. A sad excuse for a living room was to the right. _I should have made Zack stay in the car, _thought Booth. He held a finger to his lips. Brennan nodded, lifted the gun. Since Booth did not look back, he missed the man holding a gun to Brennan's head.

"Drop the gun, sweetie."

Booth and Zack turned as Brennan, clenching her jaw, dropped her gun. Hecklend had a firm grip on her upper arm as he slowly back up towards the door.

"Freeze!" said Booth. "FBI!"

Hecklend laughed. "I know who you are, Agent Booth, but I have a feeling you're in no position to make demands. Unless of course you really want this beautiful woman shot."

"Agent Booth…?" asked Zack hesitantly.

"Go find Lily," Booth ordered.

"Ah ah ah," Hecklend said, moving his gun from Brennan to Zack. "I'm afraid Lily Whitaker is _my _plaything."

"You can't expect to get out of here," snarled Booth.

"Actually, I can."

Hecklend flashed a grin. He pushed Brennan at Booth and ran. Booth steadied her and swore loudly before giving chase. Brennan ran after him, forgetting about her gun. Zack, meanwhile, did as Booth had ordered: he went to find Lily.

* * *

When Lily first attempted to stand, her legs felt like they were made of lead. After a few steps, they turned to jelly. She stumbled against the door as her legs nearly gave out. How long has she been here? The door opened suddenly, and she almost fell. She looked up in fear, expecting to see Hecklend, but instead came face to face with a certain squint.

"Zack?" she breathed. _Is this a dream? Mary mother of God, that would be cruel if this was a dream._

"Lily." He sounded relieved. "Are you alright?" His nose wrinkled. "Why does this room smell like decomposing flesh?"

_Not a dream! It's not a dream!_

"Zack!" She threw her arms around his neck.

He stumbled back in surprise, awkwardly returning her hug.

"Oh, God, Zack, it's really you."

"Er, yes. Why wouldn't it really be me?"

_He's puzzled. Oh thank you, God, thank you!_

She gave a slight laugh, her head against his chest. She inhaled his scent; it was like heaven for her, who had smelled nothing but the disgusting stench of her prison.

"I thought it was a dream."

"You dream about me?" The more confused he became, the happier she got.

"God, Zack, I could just—" She stopped suddenly. _Had I really been about to say that I could just kiss him? _She looked up at him. _What would he do if I did?_

She contemplated that for a moment, and then it hit her. She pulled away from him suddenly. "Wait, is Booth here? Where's Booth?"

"He chased after Hecklend—"

Panic set in. Lily took off, only pausing to grab the gun she spied from the floor of the hall.

"Lily, wait!" Zack called after her.

She flew out the front door. Hecklend and Booth were facing each other, guns aimed, having a stare off while Brennan watched helplessly. Booth, directly in front of the door with his back to Lily, turned when she suddenly burst out of the building. Hecklend grinned maliciously and fired. Brennan shouted Booth's name. Lily reached out to push Booth away before the bullet could connect, but felt someone from behind push her. She landed atop Booth, knocking the breath from her lungs. Brennan yelled again, but not Booth's name.

_No. Oh, God, no. Please, no._

She looked behind her, watched as Zack fell, as if in slow motion. Someone screamed and she dimly realized it was her. Hecklend didn't skip a beat. He aimed his gun again; so did Booth. Booth moved his finger to the trigger, but it was Lily who fired first this time. The bullet struck him in the leg and he went down. His next shot hit Lily, and she fainted.

* * *

A/N: cliffhanger. sorry in advance. haha.

hopefully everyone was in character. i imagined this could easily be part of a Bones episode, which means it's fine in my opinion. c'mon peeps, i had to add some drama. after all, Bones is a drama show.

**reviews. feedback.** all are needed. please and thank you!!


	10. Hallucinating Isn't Always Healthy

A/N: okay! OMIGOD 62 REVIEWS! I'M SO HAPPY! ahem.

chapter...dear sweet baby pandas, CHAPTER TEN! :O

hopefully this lives up to your expectations. :] enjoy!

* * *

She and Caleb were sitting at the kitchen table of their parents' house. The kitchen was the same as she remembered; grotesque green walls that reminded her of pea soup, a high ceiling that could, on occasion, been seen completely filled with smoke from whatever food her brother, the designated cook, had burned, and the faded smell of her mom's chamomile tea. Her father was hardly home for dinner and her mother...Let's just say Caleb was the only one who could really be trusted with cooking implements or sharp kitchen utensils. She rubbed the small crescent scar on the back of her hand as she remembered the time her mother had tried to carve the Thanksgiving turkey. She pushed that memory aside and focused on her brother.

Caleb was at the opposite end of the table as her, smiling, like always.

"I remember when you were five," he said, "and I convinced you to play baseball in the living room." He began to laugh softly.

Lily joined in. "Yeah, and Mom's favorite lamp got smashed. She blamed me even though it was your hit that broke the lamp." She had to pause to breathe. Her sides ached slightly. She wasn't sure when this particular moment of her childhood had crossed the line of hilariousness. "The vein in Dad's neck stuck out for a week."

He winced and said, "That happened a lot, didn't it?"

"The vein thing? No, I think that was a rare occurrence."

"Not that, you smart ass." Caleb gave her a look. "The yelling. The you-getting-blamed-instead-of-me."

"You were the favorite," she replied simply. She shrugged to show how little it now affected her.

"You tried, though." His eyes probed hers. He crossed his arms on the table, a position he used when he was thinking about something. "You tried to be the favorite. You tried to be like me."

"Yeah." Lily laced her fingers together and stared at them with a small smile. "I tried to be you. For a while."

"You gave up. When I left for college, you just…stopped trying."

"What did you expect me to do?" asked Lily, opening her hands, palm up, on the table. "You were the perfect sibling, everything our parents wanted; great grades, sports awards, full scholarship to Harvard to become a lawyer like Dad, impressive girlfriend. I was the leftovers. I struggled to keep my low A average. I liked the wrong kind of music. I wrote 'creepy' stories and didn't go out much. I was uncoordinated in sports, I didn't have a boyfriend. I went to Sarah Lawrence instead of Princeton, like Mom wanted. I figured it was a lost cause."

He was looking at her in sympathy. "So you stopped trying to please them."

"And then I sank into a world of despair," she said jokingly, desperate to lighten the mood.

"Pretty close. Your stories got creepier, to the point where our parents wanted to put you in therapy."

Lily snorted. "They never read my stories."

"You stole. You have a police record, don't you?"

"I'm surprised Booth hasn't mentioned that," she said to herself. She chuckled. "Surely he must know."

"You did drugs. Marijuana? Really, Lily?"

Lily shrugged and said, "When you're sixteen with a part time job at Starbucks, the best you can afford is marijuana. I would have switched to heroin if I had gotten just a little bit more money…"

"Not funny, Lil."

"I know, I know."

He looked at her with a grim smile. "Didn't you blow something up once?"

Laughing, near the point of hysterics, she said, "That one wasn't my fault!"

"Uh huh, 'course it wasn't."

"It wasn't." She grinned. "The therapist said it was to be expected after the kidnapping."

"Obviously, knowing you, you behaved like an absolute angel for a while just to prove him wrong."

"You know me too well."

Caleb's smile widened slightly and he chuckled. Time hadn't touched him at all; he looked the same as always. He was still the warm, loving brother she'd grown up with. Nothing had changed, except—

The smile slid from her face. "You're dead, Caleb."

"Yeah," he said softly. "I am. But that's not important right now, Lil." He leaned over the table towards her. "You need to wake up."

Lily gaped. "What?"

"Wake up." His voice was firm. "There are people who need you to open your eyes. Now, sis. Adeline needs you. Zack needs you."

"Whoa, wait, Zack?" asked Lily. "How do you know about Zack?"

Her brother only smiled and replied, "You tell me everything, remember?"

"_What _do you know about Zack?"

"I know how you feel about him."

Lily just blinked. "Um, would you mind informing me of how I feel about him? Because I'm not entirely sure myself."

"Stop it, Lily. You need to wake up."

"I don't understand—"

"Wake up."

"If I wake up, I won't ever see you again—"

"Lily."

"I want to stay here with you—"

"You aren't six anymore, Lil. Open your eyes. Wake up."

* * *

Lily squinted against the harsh fluorescent lights. The beeping of the heart monitor filled her ears. Her brain registered it immediately: hospital.

"Hey, sweetie," said a voice. A blurred person smoothed hair back from her forehead.

Lily opened her mouth. "Angela?" The woman snapped into focus. "What hap…" She froze. "Zack." _Zack was shot. _"Where's Zack?"

Angela put a restraining hand on her shoulder, anticipating her move to sit up. "He's right here, Lily."

Lily turned her head. Sure enough, there was Zack Addy; he was sitting in a chair which he had pulled close to the bed, and he was asleep, his head resting on the mattress. His hand loosely held hers.

"Now, before you go thinking how romantic it is," said Angela, "hear me when I say that he had an hour-long argument with Hodgins because he didn't understand the point of staying with an unconscious person. He agreed to stay eventually, partly because Hodge refused to drive him home, and partly because he said he'd seen it in a movie once."

Lily smiled. That sounded like something Zack would say. Her brow creased in sudden confusion.

"Wait, he got shot," she said.

"No, _you_ got shot." Angela's gaze drifted to Lily's side. Lily placed her hand there, felt the thick bandages through the hospital gown. "The bullet only grazed Zack." She gestured at Zack's arm, where there was a slight bulge under his long-sleeve button-down shirt. Lily assumed it was gauze. Anger flared in her. This was Hecklend's fault. All of this. Hecklend's damn fault.

Angela kissed Lily's forehead. "I'm going to call the others and tell them you're awake. Booth and Brennan are with the FBI right now. Try not to move too much, sweetie."

Angela left the hospital room, pulling out her cell phone. Lily looked down at Zack. _He must be a heavy sleeper, _she thought with a smile. _I wonder how long he's been here…_She felt her cheeks go pink. _I can't ignore it. I'm going to have to tell him that I—_

"Lily!"

She glanced up sharply as Hodgins came in. She shot him a look and then gestured with her eyes at the sleeping form of Zack. Hodgins grinned, slapped his friend's back and said loudly, "Look Zack, Sleeping Beauty just woke up!"

Startled, Zack jumped awake.

"Hodgins?" he asked drowsily, frowning. "When did you get here?"

"I've been here, Z-man. You didn't think I'd leave you stranded at the hospital, did you? No, I did the smart thing; I went in search for caffeine." He handed Zack a styrofoam cup of coffee. "How are you feeling, kid?"

Lily groaned.

"What?" Hodgins looked concerned.

"If getting shot doesn't strip the nickname 'kid', I don't know what will," she grumbled.

Hodgins laughed. Zack looked at her, concern lacing his features.

"How _are_ you feeling?" he asked. He looked down at their joined hands and let go in abrupt embarrassment.

Lily sighed. "Fine. How many painkillers am I on right now? Shouldn't I be in pain after a gunshot wound?"

"Is that a rhetorical question?" asked Zack. His frown deepened. Hodgins chuckled again.

"Zack," said Lily with a soft smile, "sometimes I love you."

When Hodgins raised his eyebrows, Lily's face burned.

"I-I mean…" She looked towards the door. "Hey, look, Angela's back," she said hastily.

Angela replaced her cell phone in her purse. "Booth and Brennan say hi."

"Where are they?" Lily pursed her lips, her memories coming slowly. Was it the painkillers or the shock of getting a bullet drilled into her side? "Where's Cam?"

"Cam is at the Jeffersonian." Angela exhaled slowly and added, "Brennan and Booth are interrogating Drew Hecklend."

Short-term memory burst back and Lily jerked herself upright.

"What?! They caught him?! Why didn't anyone tell me sooner?!" She moved to get up, but Angela held her back.

"You can't leave the hospital yet—" she protested in worry.

"Oh, screw _that_!" Lily said. "I'm fine! I need to be there for this, damn it, Booth should have known better—"

Zack wordlessly put Lily's arm around his shoulders. She looked at him in surprise.

"I'll help you. We'll get you a pair of crutches on the way out." He glanced at her. "Don't worry, I'm deceptively strong."

Angela stepped towards them. "She hasn't been discharged—"

"Hodge?" Zack looked imploringly at the other man, who nodded with a grin.

"What about the I.V.—" Angela sputtered.

"I'll lead the way," said Hodgins. "You coming, baby?"

The question was, obviously, directed at Angela. She stared at them like they were insane, hands on her hips. Then her arms dropped.

"Fine," she sighed. "But only to make sure you two don't end up accidentally killing her during transportation."

* * *

"Does Hodgins have some kind of magical power?" asked an astonished Lily from the backseat of the car. She rubbed the spot in the crook of her arm where Zack had carefully removed her I.V. She was starting to miss the painkillers. "Those nurses parted like the Red Sea."

"It's logistically impossible for anyone to part the Red Sea," said Zack next to her, "and magic is unscientific—"

"Short version please," Lily interrupted. Hodgins and Angela shared smiles in the front.

"Hodgins is…" Zack paused. "I believe the term is 'loaded'."

* * *

When Sweets suddenly called Booth from the interrogation room, the FBI agent became agitated. Brennan remained in the room with Hecklend, who was handcuffed and smirking.

"What, Sweets?" Booth snapped, slamming the door with slightly more force than necessary.

Lily stood in front of him, Angela, Hodgins, and Zack near her. She was trying to look fierce, but the effort was wasted; her appearance was oddly comical. She was wearing a green button-down shirt that looked like a man's, and was teetering haphazardly on a pair of crutches.

"Okay," said Booth, pointing at her and looking around. Zack and Sweets stood beside her. He focused his gaze on Hodgins and Angela. _Angela's the responsible one. _"Who let her out of the hospital?"

Hodge shrugged, Angela gave him a guilty wince, and Lily demanded, "How could you interrogate him without me?"

She stepped towards him, her expression fiercely angry, and nearly toppled over. Sweets grabbed her arm to steady her at the same time as Zack. They exchanged glances over her head briefly.

Booth ignored her question and asked, "Is that…Zack's shirt?"

Lily colored vibrantly, momentarily sidetracked. Zack looked slightly uncomfortable. It had taken a moment for Booth to notice, but now it was obvious; the green button-down that Zack had been wearing when Hodgins and the rest had visited an unconscious Lily was gone, leaving only the white cotton T-shirt that had been under it.

"My shirt was bloody," Lily said in embarrassment. "I didn't want to take the time of going all the way home to change…"

Zack looked from Booth to Lily. "It was Hodgins' idea," he added.

"That's not the point!" said Lily quickly.

"Why Zack's shirt, thought?" asked Booth. He wanted to disperse Lily's anger; he didn't want to spend precious time arguing with the kid.

"Lily loves Zack." Hodgins grinned evilly. "She said so herself."

Lily's face now resembled a cherry tomato. "I wasn't being—I mean—I didn't—"

"Having some trouble finishing your sentences?" Angela asked playfully.

"You guys need to stop taking me so literally!" she burst out. "That's _not _the point!" She turned to Booth. "The point is, you didn't tell me that you were interrogating Hecklend! That bastard abducted me _twice_, but obviously that means _nothing _to you—"

"You were _unconscious_, kid," Booth argued.

"So? Would it have killed you to wait?"

"I didn't know when you were going to wake up."

"You were there, you know for a fact he kidnapped me. He shot at you, there's gotta be something illegal about that. What do you even need to interrogate him for, he's guilty—"

"I'm investigating your brother's murder!" Booth shouted. Lily froze. "That's why I'm interrogating him! And I didn't think dragging you into this after you'd just had a _bullet surgically removed _was a good idea!"

Lily blinked. "Oh."

"_Yeah_ 'oh'!"

Emotion filled her eyes and she suddenly threw herself at him, hugging him as hard as she could. He muttered an undignified 'oof' and patted her back as she buried her head in his chest. Dimly, she wondered why Booth seemed more like a dad than her own father.

"Next time, just shoot him," she said. "Don't wait for him to shoot at you first. That scared the shit out of me."

Inspired, she turned. "Zack, get your ass over here."

He didn't comment, simply doing as she said. He, too, she hugged, mindful of the gauze on his upper arm where Hecklend's first bullet had grazed him.

"And if you ever almost-get-shot again, I'll cry."

Zack turned faintly pink. Brennan came in, looked around.

"What's going on?" She stared at the blonde girl. "Lily? Why are you out of the hospital?"

Lily got a set look on her face suddenly, and Booth became immediately suspicious.

"I don't like that look, kid, what are you thinking?"

She abandoned the crutches and used all her energy to sprint past Brennan.

"Hey—" Booth began.

She shut the door as fast as she could, running full speed to the interrogation room door, flinging it open. She heard Booth come into the hall and yell, "Lily, you had better not—" and then she shut the interrogation room door. Ignoring the leering figure of Hecklend, she took the chair opposite him and placed it under the handle of the door, locking it. Once she was satisfied no one was getting in unless the door was broken down—a possibility she didn't want to consider; if Booth was mad enough to break down the door, she was in trouble—, she leaned on the table, breathing heavily, her side burning in pain as the drugs wore off. She made eye contact with the filthy man in handcuffs and said, "Surprised to see me?"

He grinned. "Not really. I never thought a bullet could kill you, cutie-pie. You're too tough for that."

He was mocking her, that goddamned little—She pushed on the table with all her might. It slammed against Hecklend's leg, where she herself had shot him, and he winced. She leaned farther over the table, got right in his disgusting face.

"Don't," she snarled, "call me 'cutie-pie'."

Behind her, a thump on the door could be heard. Booth was probably trying to open it.

"Okay." Hecklend went on grinning, like she was still his prisoner. It was, in fact, the other way around, and that thought gave her confidence.

"You're going to rot, Hecklend." She smiled as just the slightest bit of fear invaded his eyes. He covered it quickly, but knowing it was there encouraged her even more. "They've got you for two accounts of kidnapping, running from the law, shooting at a federal agent…"

He chuckled. "What are you doing here, Lily? You're no FBI agent. And you can't tell me that your little bullet wound is all healed up." Hecklend's gaze dropped to her right side.

"You said a few seconds ago that I was too tough; and what about your own bullet wound? Do they have nice doctors in prison?" she countered angrily. "Besides, you didn't let me finish." She paused for dramatic effect like she'd seen in cop shows and then added, "You aren't just going on trial for all of that, oh no. They're going to try you for murder."

Hecklend didn't flinch like she had expected he would. He stared back at her evenly, saying, "You have no proof."

"All the proof we need is in that shack you kept me in. Dr. Brennan from the Jeffersonian will be very interested to see that body you nailed to the wall. Something tells me it'll end up being Caleb."

Finally! Hecklend paled considerably at the mention of Brennan's name.

"You know of Brennan, I see."

"What do you want from me?" he asked her.

"Simple. I want to see you die. Execution-style."

* * *

"What the hell is she doing?" murmured Sweets, watching her. "She doesn't even know what she's saying."

Angela and Hodgins stood near him. Angela was trying not to wince on Lily's behalf. It was true the young woman was completely winging it, which was surprising considering the content of her books; 'execution-style' referred to a killing at close range, usually with a knife, gun, or blunt instrument. It had nothing to do with the lethal injection Hecklend would receive if convicted. Brennan and Zack, meanwhile, were watching Booth try to open the interrogation room door. Neither were offering to help.

Booth pounded on it again fruitlessly. "Open this door, kid!"

"She can't hear you," said Zack, insufferably logical as always. "The room is sound proof."

Booth turned to him in exasperation. "I know that!"

"Then why are you yelling at a door?"

The agent put his head in his hand and rubbed his temples. _This is hopeless._

Sweets watched as Lily and Hecklend stared at each other for a solid two minutes, each daring the other to look away first. Finally, Lily stepped back; Sweets had been sure that Lily was going to hit him for a moment there.

"See you in court," Hecklend said cheerfully. She paused, and now Sweets was _positive _that Hecklend was going to get hit, but she simply ignored him.

Lily removed the chair from under the doorknob and calmly opened it. Immediately, Booth barged in. He grabbed her wrist, shot a dirty look at Hecklend, and promptly shoved her out of the room.

"What was that?" he hissed at her when the door was closed. "We needed a _confession_! You didn't get _anything _out of him—"

"I wasn't trying to!" she said loudly back.

"Then what was the point of that?" Booth asked. "Huh?"

She opened her mouth to speak when Zack suddenly chimed in with, "You're bleeding."

She looked down at her side and swore.

* * *

A/N: just to make sure everyone understood: Lily was hallucinating while in a coma.

just making sure that's clear, hahah. okey dokey. you know what time it is now, kids?

**review time.** ^_^


	11. Denial Can Distract

A/N: oh...my...goodness.

O_O

70 REVIEWS!!! :DD I LOVE YOU ALL!!! **ONLY 30 MORE UNTIL I HIT MY GOAL!!!**

* * *

"I told you it was too soon to leave the hospital."

Lily nearly groaned. "Yeah, yeah, if the whole world listened to you, world hunger and global warming would never exist, _I know_."

Angela laughed a little. "Global warming? Maybe global singleness."

Lily had to laugh along with that one. She was back in her hospital bed, surrounded by a hospital of smug nurses who wore similar 'I told you so' faces to Angela's. She was being released in a few days, a Tuesday, she was told—she had been in that shack for two days—while, meanwhile, Squint Squad would start on her brother's case on Monday. Already, she was practically tingling with anticipation. Then again, maybe that was the morphine. Meanwhile, Drew Hecklend's court appearance was scheduled for December 14th, giving them a deadline. If her brother was murdered by Hecklend, there were people who needed to be told, extra charges that needed to be filed, and more paperwork to memorize for the ones preparing for the witness stand.

_Ironically enough, that's also my birthday._

"So, apparently, the FBI is considering making you quit your job at the Jeffersonian."

Lily blanched, the color completely draining from her face. "They're…what? Why?"

"You shot Hecklend." Angela smiled sympathetically.

"_He shot Zack_!" Lily yelled. A nurse poked her head in, but Angela waved her away. Lily stuck her tongue out at the woman as she walked away.

"I know, sweetie, but that was Booth's gun you used. Technically, you weren't supposed to have it. Booth's getting scolded for that as we speak, I bet. You aren't even licensed to carry a firearm. At the very least, they won't let you work your brother's case."

Lily's eyes flashed fire. "If I don't work Caleb's case—"

"There'll be hell to pay?" Angela suggested.

"You better believe it." Lily fidgeted restlessly. "Gah! When are they releasing me?"

"When your side heals, dear."

Groaning wordlessly, Lily flopped back against the pillow.

* * *

"So," said Hodgins, grinning. "You and Lily really clicked back there."

"Clicked?" Zack's back was pressed to the seat. Hodge's driving made him nervous, even more nervous than he was just being _in _a car.

"You guys got along well."

"We always get along well." From his tone, he obviously didn't know what Hodge was getting at.

"I _mean_," said Hodgins exasperatedly, "you held her hand while she was unconscious, she hugged you. That's called clicking."

"That sounds like what you and Angela do."

Hodgins chuckled. "Angela and I do a lot more than hug and hand-hold."

Zack paused thoughtfully. "What do you think I should do about Lily?"

"You want my opinion, Z-man? Make a move already. You two are getting a little ridiculous with the denial."

* * *

Cam looked down at the body and sighed. "We should probably start."

"No," said Zack. Cam looked at him in surprise. His gaze was trained firmly on the corpse of Lily's brother. "We have to wait for Lily."

"We have a deadline, Zack, we need to get to work on this as soon as possible—"

"Lily will never forgive us if we start without her," he said in a rational tone. "She got angry at Booth for interrogating Hecklend without her. We can wait a little while until she's released from the hospital."

Hodgins smiled. "Look at you, being all thoughtful. Our little Zackaroni is all grown up."

* * *

When Lily walked into the Jeffersonian Monday morning, a day earlier than planned, she was looking surprisingly chipper.

"What's made you so happy?" asked Cam. "From what I've heard, you've had quite a week. Not exactly one to smile about, however."

Lily stuck her tongue out and giggled. "I tricked the doctor and nurses at the hospital into thinking I'd sue if they didn't release me today."

Hodgins, meanwhile, gave Cam a look that made her think he had something to do with it. Lily ran quickly up the stairs, oblivious.

"So, what do we got?"

Cam shot her a look, partially of concern, and partially apologetic. "Lily…"

Lily's eyes found the body lying on the table and gagged, her hand flying to cover her mouth. "_God_…"

The corpse looked even worse now with the Jeffersonian lights beating down on it. Decomposing tissue hung off the body like tattered clothing, clinging to the bone in small shreds. The skull looked deformed, lying slack-jawed in a permanent, unvoiced scream, eyeless sockets staring up at her.

Angela entered, her steps heavy. "I got a positive I.D.," she said sadly. "Caleb Whitaker, age 29."

With those words, Lily turned her head and retched into a garbage can.

* * *

"Zack just finished removing the flesh from the bones."

Brennan walked into her office, finding Lily in the corner with her iPod on full blast. Brennan had a sympathetic look on her face.

"Cam's doing a tox-screen," she continued. "We won't know much more until Zack does a full analysis on the bones, but…It appears as though your brother was shot."

Lily paused her music and sniffed.

"I'm pathetic," she said, her voice congested from her stuffy nose.

"No, you aren't," said Brennan. "He was your brother, and you loved him. It's not easy to see someone you love in that state."

"Right." Lily wiped at her face. "Right." She was holding a rectangular white envelope, turning it over and over in her hands. She lifted it to show Brennan. "I got a letter." She exhaled through her mouth. "I think it's about Adeline, my brother's kid. They've either accepted or rejected my request to adopt her. She's with my parents in Virginia right now, but they don't want her." Shaking her head, she said, "I'm too scared to open it."

She stood, setting the envelope down on Brennan's couch. "It's, uhm…safe to look at the body now? Is it just…bones now?"

"No, no, no," said Booth, half-running through the door. "Kid, you're coming with me." He grabbed her arm and towed her quickly out of Brennan's office.

"Why?" Lily tried to pull away. "What'd I do?"

"The FBI doesn't want you working your brother's case."

"Why?" she asked again. Her voice drew the attention of the squints as Booth pulled her past them. "Is this because I shot Hecklend? That's not fair, he shot Zack first—"

Zack looked up from the bones when he heard his name. Booth stopped and turned to face her before saying, "This isn't about you shooting anyone, although, kudos on your aim. No, this is about your brother being a murder victim."

"You're pulling me off of my brother's case because the FBI is worried I'm _emotionally unstable_?" Lily's voice raised an octave.

"I didn't say that."

"You implied!"

"Problem, Booth?" asked Cam.

"You threw up when you saw his body!" Booth yelled at Lily.

She retorted by yelling back, "Oh, and I suppose _you've_ never gotten nauseous when looking at a body that's been dead for a year!"

Neither of them registered Cam's question. They were fully focused on their argument.

"You're on the list of witnesses scheduled to testify against Hecklend on the kidnapping charges," argued Booth with a serious expression. "If we can prove he murdered your brother, you'll be on the witness list for that trial, too. There's nothing the defense loves more than to pull out the old emotional-relative-tampers-with-evidence card."

"I would never—"

"You know that and I know that; the jury won't know that. We'll keep you informed, but you can't be actively on the case."

Lily gaped openly at the FBI agent. "You can't…You can't do that. It's not fair."

"I know it sucks, kid." He searched her eyes, his tone gentler. "But that's the way it's gotta be."

* * *

Lily paced Angela's office in frustration. "I hate sitting here and not allowed anywhere near Caleb's body. No offense, but being confined to your office all work-day? Not my idea of fulfilling."

"Calm down, sweetie." Angela watched her. "It'll be okay."

"It will _not_ be okay! If I can't do anything here, I should just go home!" She stopped. "Wait, I don't mean—"

"No, that's a good idea," said Angela. "Go home, get some rest."

Lily snorted. "I can't possibly sleep."

"If you can't sleep, how about a movie?" came a male voice she immediately recognized.

"Zack?" She turned.

The young grad student was holding a DVD case aloft in his hand. "I remembered that you said your favorite book was The Shining. I thought you might enjoy the movie." He paused. "Hodgins drove me home so I could get it. You can watch it while you're here, since Booth took you off of your brother's case."

"Oh." Lily blinked and then began to smile. "That's sweet, Zack."

He smiled back. Feeling suddenly, inexplicably flirtatious, she added, "But you know, that's not really a movie to see alone. Why don't you watch it with me?"

He opened and closed his mouth a few times. Behind Lily, Angela gestured at him, her eyes wide.

"I've already seen it," he said.

Angela's shoulders slumped.

"Then you'll be able to tell me what I miss when I get so freaked out that I close my eyes." Lily grinned broadly.

"I…" Zack looked at Angela again. She moved her hands toward Lily, nodding encouragingly. He looked back at the blonde novelist. "I have to work."

Angela slumped again, putting her head in her hands.

"What about tonight, then?" Lily asked, one hand on her hip, still smiling. "I've almost finished my latest book, but there are some things that need tweaking. I can do that now and we can watch the movie later."

Angela perked up, looking hopeful. She gave Zack a look that more or less told him, _If you don't say yes, I will castrate you._

Zack nodded. "Sure. I'll watch the movie with you."

Angela, unseen by Lily, smiled widely and muttered, "Finally!"

* * *

Lily looked, distraught, at her laptop, her knee bouncing nervously. This had never happened to her before; not only was she monumentally distracted, but the well of ideas in her mind seemed to have run dry. She had hit a brick wall with her story. Three books published in eight years; her editor April Hart had said she was on a roll. April had said nothing could stop her. Apparently, her roll ended at Book Four.

Her main character, Melinda Brooks, a rookie FBI agent struggling to gain the approval of her superiors while maintaining her uniqueness, had become two-dimensional. There was no depth to her story anymore. Lily scrolled up, reread, and grimaced. This had to be her worst yet. Maybe she should just trash the whole thing, completely rewrite it. Her deadline was in a month, but if she called April and explained the situation, she could probably get an extension. After all, she'd always been good before with deadlines, sometimes getting the finished copy in early. April couldn't refuse her this, could she?

She struggled to focus long enough to get a new general idea. In her first book, _Disintegrate_, Melinda, frequently called 'Mel', only a few weeks into her new job in the FBI, was plagued by a serial killer who specialized in making their victims disappear. Lily had researched and gone into great detail describing a cold killer who killed, expertly disposed of the body, and sent the hearts of his victims, coated in a strange powder, to the victim's family. The powder was a chemical that caused the heart to literally disintegrate after twelve hours. After the victim's heart was gone, there would be no trace of them.

That book, accurately dubbed the most gruesome of her novels, had been only mildly successful, even though Booth had even admitted he enjoyed it. Her second, _Hollow_, was about a chain of seamless kidnappings, delving into the secrets of Mel's past. It also introduced Corey Sinclair, Mel's devilishly handsome new boss, and the two circled each other for most of the novel. _Hollow _was what started Lily's fame, and from there, her third book, _Tale of Bones_, had simply flowed out. A ritualistic killer reveals a secret society; every conspiracy-lover's dream. Lily had even mentioned some government connections to the society, and the critics had praised her for it. It was easily her best-liked book, despite the fact that she had killed off Corey.

The problem was, now that Corey had gone, Mel had become a whiny simpleton. Chronically depressed, she had lost the interesting spark that had made her so likable. A new love interest had to be introduced, but Lily was more than a little short on ideas when it came to what this newcomer should be like. Corey had been brave, kind, handsome, clever, witty. It would be hard to come up with another man for Mel that didn't seem like a cheap imitation of Corey.

Zack Addy automatically floated to the top of her mind. Successfully distracted, she shut her laptop and set it aside with a huff. Her heart beat in nervous time with her shallow breaths. _I can't believe I did that_.

"Why did I do that?" she asked aloud.

Angela sighed and glanced at the other woman. They were sitting in Angela's office, since Lily was more or less banned from the rest of the lab. Angela set down her pencil, pausing in her sketch. She knew the panicky novelist was talking about her short flirt-session with Dr. Addy.

"You like him, sweetie. It's really not that complicated."

"That was so embarrassing!" she groaned. She blinked. "Wait a second, Angie, I do _not_ like.." Her cheeks went red. "And now, because of stupid Addy, I can't concentrate!"

Angela gave her a look. "He distracted you. Do you want to know why?"

"Yes."

"Because you like him."

Lily was about to protest when Angela sighed again, and then Lily realized she was annoying the artist. She stood.

"I'm going to walk around," she said in a low voice, her face still flushed with embarrassment.

* * *

Lily walked slowly, having nowhere really to go. Hodgins suddenly sped past her, holding a large jar. She watched him in fascination. _I should see if he needs assistance,_ she thought suddenly. _It'll give me something to do._

A small voice in the back of her head called her bluff. _You only want to help because you know Zack is usually with Hodgins._

She pushed the voice out of her head. "Hodge?" She went quickly after him, curious. "Can I help with anything?"

Hodgins turned around. "Since I wouldn't put it past Booth to shoot me, I'm going to say no." He watched as her face fell. He blinked guiltily. "Fine. You can watch, but don't touch anything. Booth is right about the defense: if you have the opportunity to mess with evidence, they will rip you apart."

* * *

A/N: ooohhh what could the experiment be?

and how dare Lily still be in denial about her obvious feelings for Zackaroni?

**REVIEW.** ^_^ thanks everybody!!!


	12. Exploding Addy

A/N:AAAAHHHH!

**77 reviews! :DD**

this is so exciting for me. you need to keep this up, guys! 23 to go! ^_^

* * *

"What's the experiment?" Lily peered into the glass case. There was a fake body sitting in it, and jar after jar lying in front of the case, each filled with something different.

"Evidence suggests the victim was strategically set on fire using a combination of different flammable substances," said Zack, his eyes focused on the fake body. "We're going to have to test those to find out which combination could have created the damage to the victim's body."

Lily winced. "Please don't say 'victim'."

Hodge hit the back of Zack's head. Zack stared at him.

"Ow," he said in wonder.

"So." Lily cleared her throat. "He was burned."

"Yes," Zack replied. He turned to her. "It appears that he was shot and burned. There are also marks on the bone that suggest he was stabbed as well."

"He was…shot…stabbed…and burned," she clarified slowly.

Hodgins watched her face. "Are you alright, Lily?'

"Yeah." She swallowed as her imaginative mind went through gruesome mental pictures. "F-fine." _Deep breath._

"We're not sure in what order," Zack added absently. "It's been difficult to determine which was the cause of death—"

"You mean he could have been burned _alive_?!" Lily's face was a mask of horror.

Hodgins glared at Zack. "Don't make me hit you again."

"I don't understand."

"Can't you see you're upsetting her?"

Lily looked suddenly sheepish. "I'm not upset—"

"Oh, come on, Lily. You and I both know you're not okay hearing about your brother like this."

"I can deal with it." She folded her arms over her chest and stared at Hodge.

"Fine." He looked back at Zack. "Turn it on."

"What's on the body right now?" asked Lily, her voice harsh, a side effect of the tension in the room.

"Diesel and ethanol."

"Wait, what's the body made of?"

"Why do you ask?"

Lily grabbed Hodge's arm and shoved him towards the door abruptly. She spun to Zack, her eyes wide. "Don't—"

He flicked on the machine. She seized him, threw herself at the door as well, knocking Hodge farther away. Behind her, the glass case exploded. Glass shards burst outward, shattering the automatic glass door, and little bits flew in all directions.

Dimly, as Hodgins hit the floor amidst a shower of glass, he heard a voice yell, "What is it with me and _explosions_?!"

Lily rolled onto her back, her chest sore from the contact with the floor. She had landed quite heavily. She laid there for a moment on a bed of shards, her hair splayed out around her head. She seemed to be speaking to herself. "Why is it that every time I'm around anything mildly flammable, it blows up?! First the stupid oxygen tank incident, now this…"

" 'Oxygen tank incident'?" Hodge repeated archly.

She clamped her mouth shut, pushing herself up gingerly. Glass crunched beneath her hands. She brushed pieces of glass from her body and stood.

"Zack? Hodgins? You guys okay?"

Her eyes glanced over Hodgins and lingered on Zack, who was upright and, aside from a scratch on his cheek, unhurt. Suddenly, Hodge started laughing. She stared at him with such a look of shock that you would have thought he'd grown a second head.

"Did you _know_ that was going to happen?" she demanded weakly.

Hodgins was still laughing and, ignoring the singed hair on his head, was relatively fine. "I didn't know it would _explode_, per se—"

"What'd you think it was going to do, just sit there and smolder?!"

"You know," he said, "I never noticed before that your voice squeaks when you're riled up."

"Aren't you and Zack supposed to be geniuses? Where was that big I.Q. when you poured _ethanol_ on synthetic polymers and set it on fire?! Even I know those two things are highly explosive and dangerous—" She was helping Zack to his feet as she ranted who, like Hodgins, was grinning from ear to ear.

"That was fun," he breathed.

"_Fun_?" Lily repeated. "Almost getting blown up is _not_ fun, Addy—"

"When you've almost gotten blown up as many times as we have," said Hodgins, "somewhere alone the line, it becomes fun."

"I will never understand you," she replied, shaking her head.

"Well, we've ruled out ethanol and diesel," Zack said. His grin slowly faded at Lily's incredulous look. "What?"

"Were either of you dropped on your heads when you were a baby?"

"Maybe." Hodge chuckled, on the verge of another bout of laughter, while Zack merely said, "I don't understand the question."

Cam, Booth, Brennan, and Angela came running. All were wearing expressions of concern.

"What happened?" asked Cam. "Is everyone alright?"

Angela ran to Hodge, enveloping him in a hug. Brennan's worried eyes found Zack, snapped to the shallow cut on his cheek.

"We need to get that cleaned," she said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Booth's gaze found Lily. His face transformed from worry to anger. "Kid…" he growled.

Lily gulped, stepping back to subtly hide behind Zack. "I didn't do it!"

"The guilty always say that."

"Really, I didn't! In fact, I'm pretty sure I saved these two from ending up like Mr. Glass Door." She gestured at the glass-covered floor.

Booth's eyes narrowed. Angela looked slightly horrified, turning to Hodgins and saying, "This is _your _fault?"

"Why am I not surprised?" Cam said lightly.

Booth was not amused. "If I remember correctly, kid, your _police record _seemed to mention something about explosions. Am I wrong?"

Lily paled considerably. Cam stared at Booth, repeating his words questioningly—" 'Police record'?"—and Lily swore under her breath.

"I'll let you guys explain," she murmured to Hodgins. Then she fled the room, and Booth, as fast as she could.

* * *

"That is so not _fair_!" Lily stomped her foot childishly.

"Grow up, kid. What are you, five?"

"Six, actually." She crossed her arms. "And how do you expect me to grow up when you keep calling me 'kid'?"

"You'll get used to it eventually. Bones was just like you when I first met her: hated her nickname. Now, she would find it strange if I _stopped _calling her 'Bones'."

"Sweets says my childish nature is a result of the kidnapping."

Booth raised an eyebrow at the young woman. "Your sad attempt to guilt trip me has failed."

She pouted, muttering something that sounded like, "Some people think acting juvenile is cute." She glared at him. "Regardless of how I act, you know damn well this isn't fair."

"Look, it's just for a few days, okay? Rest up, you got shot."

"If one more person points out to me that I got shot, I swear to God—"

"Then finish your next book or something," Booth sighed. "It's just how it has to be, kid."

* * *

Confined to her house, not allowed anywhere near her brother's case…Ugh! This was _not_ how she had imagined this going!

She plopped down on her red sofa, pulling one of the square black pillows from behind her and throwing it angrily in the corner. The neat, clean apartment seemed suddenly more empty than it ever had in the three years since she had moved here. It wasn't large—in fact, compared to other apartments in this building, Brennan's included, it was quite small—but it was suddenly just large enough to make her feel inconsequential. Lily had never been very neat; her bedroom, the only room that really looked occupied, was positively filthy, clothes thrown everywhere, books and papers and old letters on every surface.

The rest of the apartment looked positively un-lived in and, now that she thought about it, un-Lily. The kitchen and living room were actually one large room that one entered from the door of the apartment; beige carpet covered half, the other half being polished hardwood. The kitchen was a mix of green marble counters, stainless steel appliances, and dark wooden cabinets. An octagonal island stood in the middle. The living room was just as scarily modern; red and black covered most surfaces. The walls themselves were painted a dark burnt mahogany.

It had never occurred to her just how much she hated this empty, lonely, picturesque apartment.

* * *

Brennan stared at the white envelope on her office couch. It was Lily's, she remembered, regarding the adoption of her niece. Lily had been too scared to open it. She picked up the letter gingerly just as Booth walked in.

"Fan mail?" he asked jokingly with a smile at the anthropologist.

Brennan shook her head, eyes never leaving the envelope. "Letter from the Adoption Agency."

Booth froze, suspicion on his features. "Adoption Agency? You don't want kids."

"You're right, I don't. The letter's not mine." She strode over to her desk, picking up a silver letter opener and slicing the top of the envelope deftly. "It's Lily's."

"Don't open it if it's not yours, Bones!"

"Relax, Booth." She shook the letter out. "Lily was too scared to open it herself."

"That doesn't mean _you're_ allowed to open it—"

Suddenly, a smile spread across Brennan's face. Booth paused.

"What? What does it say?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Call Lily. Tell her that she has a daughter."

* * *

Lily stared at the ceiling, making light patterns with a piece of crystal hanging in the window. Her cell phone rang on the coffee table, and she sprang at it, hopeful thoughts racing through her head.

_Do they have proof? Can they tie Hecklend to Caleb's death?_

She flipped open the cell and placed it to her ear. "Hello?" She grinned, her grudge at Booth for making her leave the Jeffersonian forgotten. "Booth? Well? Is it something about Caleb?"

The grin faded slowly. "Adeline? My brother's kid? What about her…"

Lily's eyes widened and she nearly dropped the phone. _Oh my God. I did it. Oh, God, I did it! Adeline's mine! She's really mine!_

She hung up on Booth and, abandoning pretense, danced around the couch in a twirling circle, whooping and giggling. She threw her fist in the air happily, then flopped exhaustedly on the couch.

_I can't wait to tell Zack!_

Giggling again, she realized she would have to be very creative with the nickname for Adeline; 'Addie' the common nickname, would be too easily confused with Dr. Zackary Addy.

She smiled.

Then, abruptly, something in her mind snapped into place, and she knew exactly how to rewrite her book. It started by following a man formed in Lily's mind under the name Shane Addison.

* * *

There was a knock at her door and she looked up, blinking as if coming out of a daze. Glancing at the clock, she realized that hours had passed; it was now 8:30 p.m. She scrambled to the door, throwing it open. Zack stood awkwardly in the doorway, a movie in his hands.

"Hi," he said.

"I am _so _sorry," she gushed. "I completely forgot—"

He looked over her shoulder. The apartment was extraordinarily neat, neater than he would have anticipated; Lily didn't seem like the clean-freak type. In fact, she seemed quite…well, unkempt. After all, she never styled her hair—despite the fact that it was always perfectly, messily curly—and at least one item of her clothing always seemed to be wrinkled. This woman confused him.

The couch, coffee table, and floor space surrounding the two pieces of furniture were covered in papers. It was obvious that Lily had been furtively, frantically, writing. She hadn't even paused to get to her laptop, which sat dejectedly on the kitchen counter.

"Do you want me to leave?" he asked. After all, writers didn't like to be interrupted in the middle of an idea. That much he knew from walking in on Brennan.

"What? No!" she protested ardently. "No, no, come in." She grabbed his arm with both hands and pulled him into the apartment.

She collected all of the papers, setting them on the unused armchair in the corner. Then she stood in front of him, smiling, her eyes alight. He froze with wide eyes. This was very far from his comfort zone.

"Go ahead and put the movie in," Lily suggested gently. "Want popcorn?"

"Uh, yes, please."

"So, what time is Hodge picking you up?" She put the bag in the microwave, pressed a button with a beep. "Or do you need a ride home?" She smiled, aware of how he felt about cars.

"Uh…" Zack debated whether or not he should tell her that Hodgins said he wasn't allowed to come home until the morning—which was Hodge's way of helping him to 'make a move'.

"I'll just drive you back, it's no problem." She walked over to where he stood. "Guess what, Addy?" she asked giddily.

"What?"

"I'm going to be a mother!"

Zack frowned as his chest suddenly tightened. It was a feeling he'd read about in one of the books Hodgins had given him. Why he was feeling it now, with those words, was beyond him. "With whom? You don't look pregnant."

Lily's smile widened. "No, I mean my request to adopt my brother's daughter was accepted."

Relief abruptly washed over him, and he was more confused than ever. "That's great."

"I know!" Excitedly, she wrapped her arms around him in a hug. He stiffened, caught off guard. "I'm so happy!"

She pulled back and gave him a serious look, arms still on his shoulders. "Thank you for this, Zack. It means a lot to me."

He looked flustered as he said, "I didn't do anything."

"You brought the movie. It was sweet of you."

He paused. Hodge's words echoed in his head and he thought, _Would now be the right time to 'make a move'?_

Lily seemed to be waiting for something, her eyes searching his. In the background, the popcorn popped loudly. The sudden noise scared them apart, and Lily cleared her throat. The microwave beeped, and she went to get it. He turned on the television and DVD player. She let herself fall not-so-gracefully back onto the sofa with the bowl of popcorn and patted the seat next to her. Hesitantly, Zack sat and pressed play.

* * *

A/N: okay, well, here's the _beginning _of their date. please don't cry, Chocopanda!

alrighty, kids, time to **review**! remember, 23 more until i hit my goal!!! :D

please and thank you! ^_^


	13. Give Me Oxygen

A/N: oh....em....gee.

i think i might faint from happiness. 88 reviews. holy gawd. this is like a major accomplishment for me.

* * *

"Holy _shit_!" Lily whipped her head away from the TV, her hand closing like a vice around Zack's arm. On the screen, Jack Torrance swung the double-sided mallet at his wife.

Zack looked at her, concerned. "Do you want me to turn it off?"

"What? No way! I love it!"

She peeked at the TV, screamed a little, and buried her head in the crook of Zack's neck, her eyes squeezed tightly shut.

"Why do you like horror movies so much if they frighten you?" he asked, frowning.

"That's the point, isn't it? To be afraid? _OhmyGod_—"

The hand that was on his arm squeezed. The scene had startled him as well, though he'd known it was coming, and he found her other hand in the dark, returning her squeeze. She deemed it safe to open one eye just as Jack Nickelson, playing Jack Torrance, said, in his creepy voice, "Here's Johnny!"

With another scream, embarrassment forgotten, she curled against Zack and again shut her eyes.

* * *

Lily exhaled, trembling, as Zack put the DVD back in its case.

"Okay," she breathed. "That was scary."

Zack nodded his agreement, wiping his hands on his jeans. "I've told Hodgins that my palms always sweat profusely during that movie."

"I couldn't even tell."

Both blushed as they remembered holding hands for the last portion of the movie.

"I was comforting you," said Zack, feeling as though some sort of explanation were needed.

"Just comforting?" asked Lily with a small smile.

"Yes."

"Oh."

There was a pause. Lily looked away awkwardly.

"I mean…no."

She glanced at him. Zack's lips were a thin line as he awaited her reaction. She chose avoidance.

"Zack?" She stood. "Uhm, is it possible for you to just…stay tonight?"

Zack's cheeks went pink. "Why?"

"Well, I, uh…I'm a bit…scared to stay here alone." She laced her fingers nervously in front of her. "I'll drive you home in the morning so you can change," she added hastily.

"Where would I sleep?"

_In my bed, _a small voice said. "On the couch," she said a little too quickly.

He considered. "It seems logical to simply stay the night."

Lily let out her held breath with an uneasy smile and said, "I'll get you a blanket."

* * *

Lily stared into space, breathing deeply and trying not to panic every time she thought she saw something in the darkness move.

_This is ridiculous._

Her hand shot out into the dark, connected with the lamp. Light flooded the room and her pulse calmed a little.

_Okay. It was just a movie. Breathe._

Then she heard the crash in the kitchen and jumped. She stepped slowly out of her room, tip-toeing. There was a light on in the kitchen over the marble counter. She opened her mouth her mouth to scream, only to come face to face with Zack. He had a guilty expression, like a toddler caught playing with something he shouldn't.

He held up a white mug sheepishly. "I was trying to make coffee. I'm not sure how; usually Hodgins or Angela make it for me. Did I wake you?"

"As if." She snorted. "I can't sleep." Lily walked over and gently took the mug from his hands. "Here I'll make it. My coffee maker is a little unconventional."

"I can't sleep either," he said, watching her. "I was just going to watch television. The movie keeps replaying in my head."

"TV is a good idea. I have _Firefly_ on DVD."

Zack's face lit up. Her mind drifted as she routinely poured the ground coffee and water into the maker. True, the movie was creepy enough to have made her fear the dark for the moment, but the healing scratch on Zack's cheek reminded her of the underlying reason for her insomnia: the explosion. A part of her past she had wanted to _leave_ in her past.

"Are you alright?" he asked in a rare moment of perceptiveness.

Her hands stilled. "No," she answered honestly.

"Is it about your brother?"

Lily didn't answer. He watched her face in the dim light.

"I'm curious to know what her was like. His bone structure suggests he was tall, athletic—"

"Bones can only tell you so much," was her soft interruption.

All was quiet for a moment.

"You would have liked him," said Lily.

"I would?"

She smiled slightly. "Everyone liked Caleb. Parents, kids, teachers. Boys, girls. Everyone."

Zack's brow furrowed in puzzlement. "Why?"

She shrugged. "He was Caleb." She took a deep breath and said, "I never got along with my parents. Caleb always came first. I was often…overlooked."

"Because he was their first born?"

"Because he was perfect." There was no bitterness in her voice. Whatever had happened in her life, she obviously didn't blame her brother.

"Perfect is impossible. Everything is flawed."

"Then Caleb was as close to perfect as nature allowed," she amended with a chuckle. "He was taller than me, politer than me, smarter than me, better looking, more athletic. I could go on and on, really." She sounded almost…proud. "The only thing I had over him was my writing, and my parents hated me for it."

He fidgeted, unused to people confiding in him. In the back of his mind, he couldn't help but wonder if perhaps Sweets were the better man for this. The uncomfortable feeling in his chest returned.

"At first, I tried to make them notice me," she continued. "I did everything Caleb did: tried out for the same sports, saw the same movies, ate the same foods. I did everything, regardless of the six year advantage he had on me. But I always did it wrong." She chuckled again humorlessly. "I was sixteen when I stopped trying. Caleb was in college. I turned into a teenage criminal."

Zack's eyes widened. "So, what Agent Booth said about you having a police record…?"

She laughed. "I said I was a criminal. I never said I was any _good_ at being a criminal. I was arrested more times than I care to count."

"Why?" he asked. "There's no logic behind that."

She poured two cups of coffee and brought out a small ceramic container of sugar. Zack took his cup and followed her to the couch. She sat, pulling her legs up to her chest.

"We lived in small-town Virginia, in the suburbs. There was a group of kids who were total bad news, one or two steps away from a full-out gang. I joined them when I was seventeen." She sipped her coffee. "Every time I went out with them, I found myself hoping I wouldn't come back. There was this boy, Eric Baum. Everyone just called him Bomber. His specialty was makeshift explosives, and I became his apprentice. He was eighteen. They called me Rook, as in rookie."

"That's how you knew the ethanol would explode," said Zack in realization.

Lily nodded. "Yeah."

"What was the oxygen tank incident?"

She hung her head. "I…There was an abandoned factory that we used for a hangout sometimes. It had a bunch of compression tanks. We didn't touch them normally; we had no idea what was in them. One day, I helped them rob this local store. We got back to the factory. Trick, the leader, was planning on using it for headquarters, to store the stuff we stole. But the police followed us. They surrounded the factory, and Trick started yelling at us. He got this plan in his head, for me to blow up one of the police cars, distract them, while they snuck out the back. It was only supposed to be a distraction, but Trick kept pressuring me, and Bomber was freaking out, so I threw my little unfinished bomb in frustration, and it landed near a compression tank. Bomber took over for me, and when he finished, he launched it out the window. When the first police car blew up, they started firing. One of the shots went through the window and hit the compression tank, puncturing it. Which I didn't know at the time. The rest of them had left; Trick was yelling for me to follow. I panicked with all the shooting and hid behind the tank. Bomber threw another, only it landed short. It exploded just outside the factory door, and little bits of flaming metal went everywhere. I ran, and the compression tank burst into flames just after I got out of range."

Zack was silent for a moment. Lily got a suddenly frightened look on her face.

"You don't…hate me, do you?"

Zack frowned, lost in thought. "It couldn't have been oxygen, Lily. Oxygen isn't kept in large compression tanks. More likely, it was natural gas—"

Lily started to laugh from relief.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"I was worried you hated me, and here you were, only worried about the fact that I misnamed the incident." She smiled.

"I couldn't hate you for that," he said, shaking his head, puzzled. "Why would I? You didn't think very rationally, I'll admit, but most teenagers don't."

"Something to do with an incomplete frontal lobe, right?" Lily smiled a little wider. Finding it contagious, Zack smiled back.

"At their stage in development, teenagers' frontal lobes have yet to fully mature, altering their perception…" He trailed off. "That was rhetorical, wasn't it?"

"Mhm."

"How much does Booth know?" asked Zack abruptly.

Lily blinked. "About as much as Sweets; which means, only what my file tells him."

"Oh." Zack didn't honestly know what he had been expecting her to say, but was surprised that she had trusted him with something so little-known and personal.

She leaned forward suddenly and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, Zack. For the movie, for staying, for listening, and for not hating me."

Zack's cheeks went pink as she settled against him on the couch. He thought about turning on the TV so they could watch _Firefly_, but then Lily closed her eyes and, within moments, had fallen soundly asleep.

* * *

A/N: Well??? what do you think???

**REVIEW!**

i need feedback! **12 reviews until i hit my goal!!!**


	14. LilyBaby, Honeybear

A/N: so this one is slightly longer, and you wanna know why?

CUZ I MADE MY GOAL! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! *high pitched girlish squeal* this one i tried to make a bit more comedic.

and guess what? now that i've made my goal, i'm aiming slightly higher.

let's see if i can reach **150 reviews**! ^_^

*edited*

* * *

"Walk of shame!" crowed Angela the next morning.

Lily's face went red as she and Zack entered the Jeffersonian together.

"Is not!" she protested. "Nothing happened, Angela."

"Sure." Angela grinned. "Don't get too comfortable here, Lily."

"Why?" asked Lily with a sigh.

"According to Cam, you have an appointment."

* * *

"I cannot _believe_ they are making me see a therapist," Lily grumbled. "It's like I'm six all over again."

Sweets sighed. They had been sitting in his office for almost an hour, and the only thing out of Lily's mouth had been complaints.

"We really need to talk about something, Lily. I can't fill you evaluation form with your objections."

She looked surprised. "You can't? Well, here, give it to me, I'll do it."

"You know what I mean, Lily."

"Fine. Shall we begin at the first kidnapping? My childhood? Parents? I'll let you pick."

He shifted in his seat and jotted something down. Lily blinked.

"What'd you write?" she asked.

"That you have a vendetta against psychiatrists."

For a moment, she simply stared at him. "I knew there was a reason that 'psycho' and 'psychiatrist' share their first five letters."

Sweets gave her a look. "This will go much smoother if you cooperate."

Lily bit on her lower lip with an agitated expression.

"Fine," she said again. "But if there's something I tell you that I don't want put in my file, you're obligated by doctor-patient confidentiality."

"Alright. Let's start with your parents."

"My father was a somewhat successful lawyer, my mother was a stay-at-home mom." She watched his face and rolled her eyes. "This is pointless."

"It's only pointless because you aren't being honest." He was half-smiling.

"Honest?" she repeated. "You want honesty? Okay. My dad was a controlling bastard and my mom slept all day and got drunk all night. Happy?"

"Yes," he said with a grin. "We're making progress. Keep it going."

"You want more of that?"

"It shows how you really feel in regard to your parents."

She waited, obviously waiting for him to elaborate. He noticed and added, "They've disappointed you, let you down. You want a normal family: lawyer father, stay-at-home mother. What you got is an abuser and an alcoholic."

She licked her lips and then pursed them.

"That right there," said Sweets with a smile, "proves I'm right. Go on, Lily."

Lily crossed her arms and looked away from him. He tapped his pencil against his clipboard and sighed again.

"I didn't want to do this…Why don't you tell me about your addiction to drugs?"

Lily's jaw dropped. "_What_?"

"It's in your file; arrested for marijuana possession, abuse of prescription painkillers—"

"Those charges were dropped!" she snapped. "Does my _file_ tell you that I checked into rehab? Does my _file _tell you that I haven't so much as touched anything stronger than Tylenol in years?"

"You're upset."

"_Damn right, I'm upset_!"

"Calm down, Lily."

Her mouth became a flat line and she focused on her breathing. "I am calm."

"Do you still do drugs?"

"What did I just say?" she demanded, her eyes flashing red. "No, I don't still do drugs. I quit for Caleb."

A knowing grin played across his lips. "You love your brother."

"Yeah."

"He's your hero, your idol."

"Was," she corrected hardheartedly. "Now he's dead."

* * *

"Why do you think you have a problem with anger?"

A muscle in her forehead twitched. "I don't have a problem with anger."

"Yes, you do."

"If I had a problem with anger, I would be launching myself at you right now." She looked him up and down. "I have a feeling you're one of those guys who screams like a girl."

Sweets slammed his clipboard down. "Okay. Here's a question: Why did you go from asking me on a date to mocking my girlish screams? Not that I scream like a girl, I mean…"

She stiffened and said, "You want to bring that up now?"

"Yeah," he said with sudden conviction. "I think now's as good a time as ever."

"Look, Sweets…" Her tone was gentle. "Lance."

Sweets blinked at his full name.

"You're cute, and funny, but I can't date someone who treats me like a fascinating experiment." _Plus, I like someone else. _

"Oh." He nodded slowly. "Okay."

"I'm sorry," Lily said. "I really am." Motivated, she reached across the small table and placed her hand comfortingly on Sweets' knee.

"Okay. Moving along."

* * *

"This is what I think: You pour all of your loathing for your family into your writing."

Lily put her chin in her hand. Sweets continued.

"You think if you can create a horrible world in your head, the real one might not seem so bad."

"Now hold on—"

"But really, you just think that maybe if you're screwed up enough, no one will love you like your brother did, and then they won't die like he did."

She sprang up, her face angry. "No."

"Are you saying I'm wrong?" Sweets was still smiling, confident in his reasoning.

"Hell yes, you're wrong! No one else I care about is going to die." She grabbed her bag off the couch and stood. "I won't let them." The door slammed behind her.

* * *

Booth knocked on Lily's apartment door with a strange sense of fatherly pride. Lily was more like him that he had thought. She'd walked out on Sweets' appointment; there wasn't a more Booth-like move out there. Well, unless one counted shooting a mechanical clown. He could only hope that she wouldn't do something like that. He knocked again.

"She can't hear you, babydoll."

Booth turned. An aging African American woman, tall and slightly plump, smiled at him from the doorway of the apartment across the hall. Her round face and brown eyes radiated a mother-like kindness. She had a faint accent that told him she was originally from the South.

"What do you mean she can't hear me?"

"Lily-baby's got her music on," said the woman. "She wouldn't be able to hear an earthquake."

"I'm sorry, who are you?" asked Booth.

"Oh, I apologize, honeybear," she said, smiling widely. "My name is Monica Channing. I'm Lily-baby's neighbor." She held out her hand. Booth shook it firmly and when he let go, she gestured at Lily's closed door. "You hear that?"

Booth blinked, looking over his shoulder and then back at her quizzically. "Hear what?"

"The low buzzing."

"I don't hear—"

She gave him a stern look. "If you'd stop talking, Mr. Suit-and-Tie, you'd hear it."

Booth closed his mouth and realized he did hear a quiet background noise. "What is that?"

"Lily-baby's music." Monica clucked her tongue, her hands on her hips. "She came home about an hour ago, stomping around and pouting like a toddler in timeout. My guess is she's painting."

"Lily paints?"

"She doesn't have much artistic vision, but she's helluva creative. It's what she does when she's angry. She turns up her music and just…paints." Monica's eyes narrowed playfully, though the smile remained in place. "And just who are you, babydoll?"

"Booth, Special Agent Seeley Booth."

"Agent?" Her eyebrows raised. "As in FBI? Or are you a CIA suit?"

"FBI." He flashed the badge. Booth waited for the question that always came next: _what did she do? _Or _Is she in trouble?_ Instead, Monica chuckled and grinned.

"Boy, I'll tell ya," she said. "Lily-baby's really raking them in. First that floppy-haired cutie last night and now a big strapping FBI agent?" She nodded approvingly. "She was alone for years. It's good that she's finally out there."

Booth's eyes widened. "Oh—wait, no, you've got it all wrong. Lily and I aren't together—We're—" He shook his head, clearing his throat. "She's assisting the FBI in a murder case."

Instead of prying, Monica simply smiled. "Well then, honeybear, go right in. Knocking gets you nowhere when she's like this."

"It's locked," said Booth incredulously.

She rolled her eyes good-naturedly in an "Are-you-sure-you're-an-FBI-agent?" kind of way and produced a key from the pocket of her corduroy dress. She unlocked the door with a perceptive smile and said, "How do you think that girl eats? You didn't think Lily-baby could cook, did you?"

"She can't cook?"

"Oh, hell no! Have you seen how skinny she is? If I didn't leave a home-cooked meal in her oven once a week, little Lily-baby would starve." She opened the door and the hall was immediately flooded with loud music.

She gestured. "Venture into the lion's den if you dare, Seeley Booth. And, do me a favor: make sure she eats real food once in a while at that fancy shmancy job of hers."

* * *

Lily stood in the center of the living room, covered nearly head to toe with splatters of paint. The couch had been moved, pushed toward the kitchen. A large tarp was tacked to the ceiling and pooled over the entire carpet. The tarp had paint globs of red and yellow all over it, while the canvas on the easel in the middle remained relatively untouched. Five large paint cans, one in every color of the rainbow, sat idly to her right. A huge bucket, filled to the brim with different sized paintbrushes, stood in front of her. And to her left, her stereo blasted her iPod's music at near-full volume. She sang along to a loud rock-ish song, grabbing a big, rectangular brush and dipping it in paint.

"What can you possibly want from me—"

With each accentuated word in the song, Lily flung flecks of paint at the canvas. Most of the paint, however, was thrown back onto herself. Her baggy shirt, the words "I'm with Stupid" emblazoned on the front, and ripped jeans were no longer any particular color. It looked like the color wheel had simply thrown up.

"—can't you see I'm already gone—"

At 'gone', she let go of the brush, and it sailed in an arc towards the canvas. It hit the corner, bouncing off and adding a healthy dose of blue to the red and yellow tarp. She picked up a smaller brush, dunked it in purple, and said, "The door was locked."

Booth almost jumped. She'd seemed so focused on what she was doing, he wasn't sure if she had actually seen him. "Miss Channing let me in."

"Mrs. Channing," she corrected. She launched the paintbrush and it hit the canvas dead in the center.

"I didn't see a ring—"

"It doesn't fit her finger anymore. She wears it around her neck. Just call her Monica. She hates titles." She took a deep breath, turning her neck. Booth heard the crack as she released a kink. "Should've known she'd unlock the door. She must've liked you." She stopped and straightened, her eyes finding him. "What are you doing here, Booth?"

"I heard you walked out on your appointment with Sweets. I just came to see if you're okay." He watched as she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, leaving a streak of blue behind. "You weren't answering your cell phone."

"Turned it off." She went to the tarp to collect the fallen brushes. There had to be more than a dozen.

"Or your house phone."

"Unplugged it."

The song changed as Lily took the brushes to the kitchen sink and rinsed them off.

Booth was staring at her. "Good God, what are you listening to?"

"Smooth," said Lily absently. "From Punk Goes Pop, volume two." She put the rinsed brushes back in the bucket and picked up a new one, testing its weight in her hand.

"More like Pop Goes Screamo."

Booth flinched. She chucked the paintbrush with all of her might. This one missed the canvas completely and a large green spot exploded, dripping, onto the tarp.

"How do you listen to that stuff? Wait," he said when she opened her mouth. "That's not important right now. Why did you walk out on your evaluation?"

"He brought up my brother," said Lily stiffly.

Booth gaped. "That's all?"

"What do you _mean_ 'that's all'?" she demanded.

"I understand there are some things you might not want to discuss yet—"

"Yet? I will _never_ discuss Caleb just so some prick behind a desk can tell me how screwed up a childhood I had. I will never want to talk about it!"

"Well, you're going to have to, kid!"

"Why?!"

"_Because he's dead_!"

Their shouting voices had risen above her music, but all that was heard was the stereo for a long while.

"He's dead," Booth repeated. She strained to hear him over the song. "Sweets, me, Zack, Bones—We're all working his _murder_, in case you'd forgotten. You'll have to talk about him anyway, kid. A little trust would be nice."

Lily stared him down for a moment and then sighed. "You're right," she grumbled. "I'll call Sweets and apologize later."

"Good." He nodded curtly. "Now," he said, looking at her canvas, "tell me how this falls under the category of 'art' and not 'contact sport'. You grunt like a tennis player when you throw those things."

He gestured at the brushes. She tried to hold back her laughter, and what came out was a kind of snort.

"Go ahead," she said in a grouchy tone. "Mock my lack of artistic talent."

"And you throw like a girl, too." He grinned.

She put her hands on her hips. "I would hope so, Booth."

He laughed. "Get changed. I'll be waiting in the car."

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why?"

"Monica made me promise I'd get you to eat food of the non-microwavable variety. All that tennis-grunting must have worked up your appetite."

* * *

A/N: WELL?!?!?!

PLEASE REVIEW! i wanna know what you guys think, honestly!

plus, i need...let's see...carry the one...**46 reviews** until i hit my new goal!

**review! pleeeeeeaaaaassseeee!** *gets on knees and begs*


	15. Meet The Whitakers

A/N: omg it's been so effing long since i updated. i'm sorry! usually i get these out in like, two days.

that just shows what school does to you. *sigh* enjoy.

* * *

Lily stared at the plate of burger and fries Booth had ordered for her.

"Why are you so grumpy all of a sudden?" _I was sure I'd cracked her grumpiness back at the apartment. _Booth munched slowly on a fry.

"You should eat something."

She pushed the plate away and stared out the window of the Royal Diner. "Not hungry."

"'course you are," he said. "It's been, what, five hours since you last ate? And that's _if_ you ate breakfast, kid."

Lily didn't reply. He reached across the table and nudged the plate back in front of her.

"C'mon, kid. Eat something."

"Don't call me 'kid', Agent Booth."

Booth blinked. _Wow. She's really pissed._

"What is it about that nickname that angers you? You can't really—"

"Don't _analyze_ me!"

At her shout, the diner suddenly quieted. Booth stared in mute shock for a solid minute before saying, "I wasn't analyzing anything."

She exhaled, pushing her hair away from her face.

Booth nodded. "I get it," he said suddenly. "You didn't get mad at Sweets because he mentioned your brother." He popped another fry into his mouth. "Sweets did that annoying analyzing thing, and whatever he said about you was right."

"No!" She ground the heels of her hands against her eyes. "He was _not_ right! I _want_ to be loved! I don't want to be alone!"

Booth leaned forward. "Look at me." She met his gaze shakily. "You aren't alone," he said. "You hear me?"

She nodded, swallowing.

"Good. Now, eat your hamburger, kid."

* * *

There were only a few bites of burger left when Lily's cell phone rang. Booth gaped at her, asking, "When did you turn it back on?" but Lily held up a finger to silence him.

"Hello?" Her face lit up. "Hi, Zack!"

Booth watched incredulously. She had been irritable the entire time and now, suddenly, her grim mood was lifted by one phone call from the Awkward Genius.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She smiled, twirling a piece of her hair around her finger.

_Oh my God. She looks like a lovesick teenager. Should I tell her…?_

Booth opened his mouth, but Lily lifted her finger again impatiently.

"Nah, it's not Sweets' fault, I was being PMS-y," she said. She paused as Zack replied. "That just means moody, Zack."

Another pause. At the faint blush that crept up her cheeks, Booth could only imagine what uncomfortable, embarrassing thing poor Zack had said about a woman's menstrual cycle.

"Actually," she said now into the phone, "I'm with Booth right now. He's treating me to lunch." Her smile slowly faded and she bolted upright in her seat. "What? When?" Pause. "I'll be right there."

She hung up, her face unsure, the emotion in her eyes going from excitement to anxiety to anger and back. She seemed to exhausted to stick to one feeling.

"What is it?" asked Booth.

"The icing on the cake of my fourth worst day ever," she deadpanned. "Right below getting kidnapped for the second time and just above eighth grade picture day when my hair was bright purple from my attempt to dye it black."

Booth blinked. "Your fifth worst day ever is a bad hair day?"

"My sixth is when I pushed my boyfriend Ricky Altman out of a tree in fifth grade. He broke up with me, and guys were scared to come near me for years."

He just stared at her blankly.

"He broke up with me _before_ I pushed him out of the tree." She glanced at the clock in the diner. "What's the legal speed-limit and can you break it?"

Booth rolled his eyes and said, "Don't be so dramatic, kid."

"I have a right to be dramatic. My parents are at the Jeffersonian."

* * *

Lily was practically power-walking as she strode into Cam's office. When she noticed the man and woman seated in front of Cam's desk and noted that she was, in fact, too late, she swore under her breath.

Cam glanced up and smiled. "Ah, Lily, there you are. I've just had the pleasure of meeting your parents."

_You're lying through your teeth, Cam. But thanks for the effort._

"Mom, Dad." Lily took a deep breath, resisting the urge to simply scream. "Hi."

* * *

Lily's father was of medium height and build, with slightly broad shoulders, graying black hair, and a thin mustache-goatee combo. Her mother, who was so small she was practically swimming in her clothes, had the red-gold hair and blue eyes that Lily and her brother had both inherited. All in all, however, they were not what Booth had been expecting. He stood back and observed as daughter and parents stiffly greeted each other.

"What are you wearing?" her mother asked as a hello.

Lily swallowed visibly. Obviously, it was a loaded question. "Um, clothes?"

"A smart-ass as always," her father grumbled.

Her mom looked at Lily's outfit with a critical eye. "Are skirts supposed to be that short? You look like a hussy." Julia Whitaker's voice was shrill and wheedling.

"Mom, it touches my knees."

It was Booth's understanding that Lily hadn't contacted her parents in the three years since graduating college.

"So," said Lily, attempting to break the silence. "Where's Adeline?"

"We'll give her to you when we're good and ready," said her dad. Her mother nodded meekly. "We were talking to your boss, Dr. Saroyan, before you got here." He stared at Lily judgmentally with his dark, steely eyes. "She said you're an analyst now. The hell is that?"

"Dad, please," said Lily in a low tone.

"Don't 'Dad please' me, I want to know. It has to be better than those lousy books you were writing."

Lily flinched. "I'm making good money from those books, Dad."

"How can you? They're shit."

"Dad." She wished he would stop swearing. Somehow, hearing it come out of her father's mouth makes her feel increasingly embarrassed. "You wouldn't know." She lifted her chin. "You never bothered to read any of the ones I published."

"I've read enough of your stuff to know you have no talent." Lily flinched again. "What's an analyst do?"

"I assist the FBI with discovering motives and analyzing suspects."

"Like a psychiatrist?" her mother asked.

"Sort of." _Not at all, actually._

Her dad eyed her carefully. Booth was again surprised. Lily mentioned her father being a lawyer. This man was not the intelligent, high-brow kind of lawyer Booth was used to meeting.

"That it? And here I thought you were doing something important with your life." He shook his head.

Lily's back straightened, her whole body tense. Cam opened her mouth to say something, but one look from Lily abruptly shut her up.

"We always knew you weren't like Caleb." Lily's mother spoke quietly, and her eyes welled up.

Lily sighed. "Mom, don't cry."

Daniel Whitaker suddenly noticed Booth standing in the doorway. "Who's he?"

"This is Special Agent Seeley Booth of the FBI," said Lily softly.

"Speak up, girl," her dad scolded.

She repeated it, louder. Booth and Mr. Whitaker shook hands.

"I'm sorry about your son," said Booth.

Mr. Whitaker nodded. "He was our pride and joy."

"You really should be proud of Lily, though," Booth continued. "She's been doing just a fantastic job here at the Jeffersonian."

Mr. Whitaker merely grunted, but Lily beamed at Booth.

"Show your mother and me around, Lily," her father said gruffly. "I want to meet your colleagues."

_So you can compare me to Caleb in front of my friends?_

Lily gritted her teeth. "Okay, Dad."

* * *

A/N: GAAAH! I'M SORRY! IT'S SO SHORT!

D:

i wanted this one to be longer...*sniff* but my practices are stacking up and i had a bunch of tests...*sniff* I'M SORRY!

i PROMISE the next one will be longer! PROMISE! YOU CAN HOLD ME TO IT!

**now please review!** i love you all so much! your feedback literally makes my day!


	16. Backwards Land

A/N: i promised you guys i would make this one longer! here it is! please review! **26 reviews** until i hit my newest goal! :D

* * *

"Hodgins…" Lily tried to force a smile. "Meet Julia and Daniel Whitaker. My parents."

Hodge looked at the two people behind her. "Are you kidding?"

_If only. _"No."

Hodgins opened and closed his mouth for a moment. "Oh. Well that's…unexpected." He cleared his throat. "Ah, hello." He shook hands with both of her parents. "I'm Dr. Jack Hodgins, I work with your daughter."

"Nice to meet you, m'boy," her father said. "You wouldn't happen to know how my idiot of a daughter got mixed up in a building full of doctors, would you?"

Lily groaned. Hodgins blinked a little.

"Uh, well, actually, Lily is quite bright, having not studied specifically for this field," said Hodge. Lily smiled at him weakly.

"She's not the sharpest tool in the shed," Mr. Whitaker protested. Lily tried to interrupt him, but her mother's glare stopped her. "Nothing like her brother, sadly."

Hodge crossed his arms and settled his feet farther apart, drawing himself up to full height. Lily got a panicked look on her face; she knew the signs of when Hodgins had had enough. She gestured wildly behind her father's back, but Hodgins ignored her.

"You're right," said Hodge. Lily could just tell her father was going to get an earful and clapped her hands over her ears. _Maybe if I close my eyes and pray, it won't happen. _"She's nothing like her brother."

_Please don't flip on my dad, please don't flip on my dad…_

"She's clever, quick, creative, artistic, pretty, funny, dedicated, and loyal," said Hodgins. "I don't know what her brother was like, but I know that _he_ was nothing like _her_. There's only one Lily, and she's fine the way she is."

Lily's eyes snapped open. _Aww, Hodge! _That hadn't been what she'd been expecting him to say at all.

Mr. Whitaker glared at Hodgins. "Lily," he said. "You're not finished with the tour, are you? Come on, stop lagging."

* * *

This time, Lily rushed slightly ahead into Angela's office and immediately began speaking.

"HiAngmyparentsarehere—"

Angela stared at the younger woman. She kept going.

"—Iknowmydad'salittleharshbutwhateveryoudo—"

"Lily," said the artist, shaking her head. "I can't understand a word you're saying."

"—don'tsayanythingtotellhimoff," Lily finished, winded. She gulped in a breath.

"What did you say, I can't understand when you talk that fast—"

Lily spun around, a fake smile plastered on her face. "Mom! Dad!" she exclaimed. Angela's eyes widened. "This is Angela Montenegro."

Flabbergasted, Angela sputtered for a solid minute at the scowling couple—who held surprising resemblance to the young novelist—before saying, "Hi! I'm, uh, Angela Montenegro, as Lily said…" Angela fumbled. "I use my art skills to, uh, draw pictures of what I believe a victim looked like, using the skull as a guide."

"Fascinating," Lily's mother breathed. "Much more interesting than Lily's job."

Anger surged through Lily, but she carefully controlled it.

"Lily's job is very important," said Angela with a frown. "She understands people surprisingly well."

Her dad snorted. "Lily has never understood _people_. Criminals, maybe. After all, she's one of them; why wouldn't she understand them?" He took in Angela's facial expression. Lily winced at the shock that showed there. "I take it she didn't tell you about her criminal past. She was a goddamn thorn in our sides as a teenager, and I doubt anything's changed."

Angela's face was set. "Whatever she may have done as a teenager, the Lily I know isn't a criminal. She's doing important work here at the Jeffersonian, and she's doing it well."

With a look similar to what he had given Hodgins, Lily's father said icily, "Nice meeting you, Miss Montenegro."

"Why don't you two go ahead? I need to double check something with Angela," Lily said hastily.

Once the two were safely out of earshot, Angela looked at Lily incredulously.

"Why didn't you _warn_ me?" the woman hissed.

"I _tried_!" Lily whispered fiercely back. "It's not my fault you didn't understand me!"

"You were speaking gibberish!"

"I was not! I was just talking very, very fast."

"Babbling, sweetie. Here in the world of normal, they call that babbling."

"This isn't the world of normal. If it were, Brennan's head would explode from all the logic. This is backwards land; it's the only thing that keeps her sane."

"That didn't even make any sense, Lily."

Lily glowered. "I know, I know. Cut me some slack! I can't make brilliantly witty comments with my dad breathing down my neck."

Angela raised her eyebrows. "Brilliantly witty comments?"

"Oh, shut up."

* * *

"Where's this Dr. Brennan character?" asked Lily's dad suddenly. "I want to meet her. Maybe she'll be less naïve than your other co-workers."

"Naïve?" Lily repeated.

"They actually believe you can be good at your job."

"Oh."

"So? Where is she?"

Lily gnawed on her lip. "I don't know, Dad."

"Well, where's her office? It's common sense that she'd be in her office, you dolt."

"Don't call me a dolt, Dad."

* * *

Brennan's office had, in fact, been empty. Lily walked quickly through the Jeffersonian, hoping beyond hope that her parents would simply get bored of tormenting her and leave.

_What did they do for a hobby after I left for college?_

They walked far behind her, at their own pace. She had to stop herself from taking her lower lip between her teeth and biting it till it bled. That, at least, would distract her.

_And probably earn me another comment from Dad on my 'lack of self-control'._

Just then, she spied a certain boy-like anthropologist she knew quite well.

"Hi, Zack." Lily came up behind him and smiled slightly. "Am I interrupting your work?"

"Hm, frankly, yes." He faced her, his features relaxing almost automatically into a smile. He was used to smiling when she was around. "But I don't mind."

Lily's cheeks went faintly pink. His eyes looked over her shoulder and widened as he took in the sight of her slowly-approaching parents.

"I'm not sure what's going to happen," he said, "but I'm not comfortable with it."

She absently smoothed the wrinkled blue fabric of his work coat, her hands trailing across his shoulders as her face became suddenly anxious. The movement of her hands momentarily distracted him, and he almost missed what she was saying.

"My parents want to be shown around so they can criticize each and every aspect of my career. Relax, they usually only insult me."

"What should I say?" He seemed panicked.

"Just answer their questions honestly, Zack. You're good at that."

Before he could process what she meant, her father called, "Lily, who is that?"

"Mom, Dad, I'd like to introduce you to Dr. Zack Addy."

Her father looked him up at down. "He's a doctor?"

"Budding anthropologist, actually," said Lily proudly.

"He's so young," murmured Mrs. Whitaker.

"I'm actually a few years older than your daughter," said Zack stiffly.

Mr. Whitaker turned to Lily as if Zack hadn't said anything. "So now you're sleeping with an anthropologist?"

Lily's face went white. "I am _not_ sleeping with Dr. Addy, Dad!"

Her dad raised his eyebrows and said, "Of course you are. I noticed the look you gave him, Lily, I know what you were like as a teenager—"

"Dad—"

"You haven't changed in any other regard, so you're probably still the same as before, prancing around like a slut—"

"_Dad_—"

"Don't 'Dad' me, I'll say what I want to say. The doctor deserves to know what girl he's bedding—"

"Dad!" she yelled. "Please, _do not_ do this here."

Startled by her sudden stubbornness, her father merely blinked. It was evident that she had given up trying to defend herself long ago, and this outburst wasn't what her father had expected from her.

"I can deal with you bashing my writing, I've been dealing with that for years. But can you _stop_ trying to ruin my friends' opinion of me?" snapped Lily. _It's lucky for me that they're so freaking loyal. I should thank them for that later. _She sighed. "Why are you here, Dad?"

He straightened stiffly. "Your mother and I—"

"No, I know why Mom's here." Lily crossed her arms. Zack's gaze shifted from person to person uncomfortably. "She's here to get rid of the baby who's been crying during her hangovers. But you…" She shook her head and said, "Why are you here?"

"We can talk about that later," he said firmly.

It was obvious that she was struggling whether to continue being stubborn or to just avoid and avoid further conflict. _This could get messy…_

"No, Dad," she finally said. "We're going to talk about it now. Zack, I'll let you get back to work." With those words, Lily grabbed her father's arm and led him into Brennan's empty office. Her mother followed them.

* * *

"Alright, Dad, explain."

Her father obtained a smug expression. "I've brought you an offer."

She eyed him warily and said, "What offer?"

"I've pulled some strings, and Harvard has accepted your application."

"I never…"

"You start next semester in January, but you can leave next week and start some extra classes early."

"What are you talking about, Dad?" she asked bluntly.

"You're going to law school." He snorted. "Really, Lily, a simpleton could have figured it out."

"I am _not_ going to law school!" She stared at him in disbelief. "_This _is where I want to be, Dad! Caleb was the lawyer, not—"

"It's your fault he got killed," her father said dangerously. "If you hadn't written that _stupid_ book—!"

"You can't guilt-trip me with that, Dad, it wasn't my fault!"

"I'll take Adeline away."

Lily froze. He stepped toward her.

"One word from me about your parenting abilities and you lose her."

"You wouldn't," she said, her voice cracking. _He would. He really would._

"Go to Harvard," said her dad. "Stop writing, give up this idiotic analyst job. Adeline's all yours."

* * *

Zack entered Brennan's office and saw Lily sitting on the couch with a shell-shocked expression.

"I've found cause of death," he said. "The vic—Caleb was stabbed first. Twice in the chest; there are marks on the bone, but he probably wasn't stabbed deep enough to kill him instantly. Most likely, his attacker panicked, and then shot him in the back of the head. Then his body was burned and ritualistically nailed to the wall in accordance with your book."

Lily looked up at him as if just now realizing she was not alone, and she suddenly seemed about to cry. He blinked. She stood and rubbed at the corner of her eyes, walking quickly out of the room.

Zack blinked again and asked the empty room, "Did I do something wrong?"

* * *

"So," said Cam. "Zack tells us that we're looking for a .22 caliber handgun as the murder weapon. Also, if you find a butcher knife, that's an added bonus."

Booth grinned and rubbed his hands together. "Where's Bones? Let's go!"

"Actually, Dr. Brennan is at a book signing right now. Why don't you take Lily?" Cam suggested. "She's seemed really down since her parents left, and you're like a father to her."

"Works for me."

Cam smiled. A week ago, Booth would have whined and complained. "Alright. Call me if you find anything. We've got a DNA sample from Hecklend; we can compare it when you get back."

* * *

_Cam was right, _thought Booth.

They were standing in the hotel room Hecklend had rented days before Lily's kidnapping. Well, _Booth _was standing in the hotel room. Lily, on the other hand, stood in the doorway, still as a statue.

"Are you going to help?" he asked her, rifling quickly through drawers.

She didn't blink, just kept standing there with her arms crossed and said, "_You're_ the FBI agent. You shouldn't need my help."

Booth frowned. "What crawled up _your_ ass?"

"Nothing."

"Yeah, I don't buy that for a second. You've been moody after getting out of the hospital, you've been angry since Sweets' evaluation, and now ever since your parents came you've been pretty much a killjoy."

"My parents tend not to stir feelings of happiness."

"There's something else going on." Booth winced. "Oh, _gross_, I sound like _Sweets_."

Lily couldn't help it. She cleared her throat to cover her giggle, but Booth heard it anyway and grinned. For a moment, Lily had a pained expression on her face. Then she smiled and said, "Here. I'll help."

_Huh. Must have imagined it, _Booth thought.

Lily slipped on gloves and reached into the umbrella stand by the door. Booth rolled his eyes. _She's too lazy to even move from the doorway._

She pulled her hand out. "This what we're looking for?" she said, bursting into a grin.

In her right hand was a small black handgun, and Booth had a sneaking suspicion it would end up being a .22 caliber.

* * *

Lily ran into the Jeffersonian with a brilliant smile, Booth trailing behind her. Zack was bent over the bones, but he straightened as she came in. Booth was shaking his head. _She's virtually bipolar._

"We got it!" Lily exclaimed. She leaped into the air and threw her arms around Zack, who immediately flushed red. "We got it!"

Zack looked over her shoulder to the amused FBI agent. "What did we get?"

"We found the gun!" Lily squealed happily. "We just have to find the knife and that bastard is _screwed_! We've got him!"

She pulled away from Zack slightly and kissed him on the cheek, her brilliant smile never wavering.

_It's up to you guys now,_ she thought as she hugged him tightly again. _I won't be able to help you. I'm sorry. I can't risk losing Adeline._

_

* * *

_A/N: I added a bit of comedy relief to this one. haha. well, this is all i was able to drill out. i have homework and eep! FORGOT ABOUT MY TEST! need to study!

(p.s., review this if you feel sorry for me. hahaha kidding. sorta.)

**review please!** pretty please with peanut butter and chocolate graham crackers on top? (haha, Chocopanda, you make me laugh, and i never did give you those peanut butter chocolate graham crackers i promise a while back...)

please and thank you! ^_^


	17. No Rash Decisions Before Dinner

A/N: next chapter. **ONLY 8 REVIEWS UNTIL I HIT 150!!! **good god, it's almost up to 150 reviews?!?!?!?!? I'M SO HAPPY PEOPLE LIKE THIS STORY!

* * *

"This is definitely the gun used to shoot Caleb Whitaker," said Zack. He examined it closely. "I'll test it for prints immediately, but I already found traces of the v—Caleb's blood." He prevented himself from saying "victim", earning himself a strange look from Brennan. Hodge merely grinned, knowing that the young man was doing it for Lily.

"What about the burns?" asked Brennan. "Have we found what exactly caused the damage to the body?"

"Acetone and petrol." Hodgins grinned broadly.

Booth looked confused. "Hecklend ignited a dead body with nail polish remover and gasoline?"

"Acetone," Brennan began lecturing, "can be a variety of things. While the most common is nail polish remover, it can also be used in sanitary cleaners, paint thinner…"

"And petrol isn't only for gasoline," Zack added. "It's also a solvent, frequently used to dilute paints—"

"Aha!" said Booth loudly, clapping his hands together in victory. "The other rooms on Hecklend's floor of the hotel were being repainted!"

"It wouldn't have been hard for him to acquire paint thinner," Zack said thoughtfully.

"There must have been _cans_ of that stuff just lying around," agreed Hodgins. "No one would have noticed if he had snuck one into his room." His grin widened. "So…Who wants to tell Lily?"

The novelist had gone home almost two hours ago, claiming a headache. But she hadn't left until she made it perfectly clear that she wanted to be kept in the loop if they found anything new.

Zack perked up. "I think I should. I'll call her."

Booth shook his head. "Don't bother, her cell phone's unreliable."

"She always answers for me," said the genius with a frown.

"Just go see her, dude," said Hodge. "You know where her apartment is."

Seeing the logic, Zack nodded slowly. Hodge shot a knowing look at Booth, while Brennan stood between the two men, looking confused.

* * *

Zack knocked lightly on Lily's door. No answer.

"Zack?"

He turned around. Lily stood in the hallway, bags of groceries in her arms and a small furrow in her brow. "What are you doing here?"

"The gun you and Agent Booth found were most definitely used to kill your brother. We can tie it to Hecklend. I thought you'd like to know."

Lily's face lit up. "Oh, that's wonderful! But you know…" She giggled. "You could have just called me."

* * *

"Here, come in," she said. "Monica's teaching me how to cook. You can be my guinea pig."

Zack replied, blinking, "I will _not _be your small furry rodent—"

He was barely through with his sentence when a giggling Lily opened the door of her apartment and pulled him in.

"Monica," she called. "I've found a taste-tester."

The black woman turned an observant eye on Zack. "Oh, don't use him, Lily-baby."

Lily frowned, setting the grocery bags on the kitchen counter and going back to the door to hang up her coat on the wall hook. "Why not?"

"One taste of your food and he'll take off running," Monica tutted. "You want him to stick around, don't you?"

Lily laughed. "Yeah. I do."

"I'll just have to make sure whatever you cook is edible." Monica winked.

Zack looked between the two women and said, point-blank, "I'm confused."

Monica laughed out loud and said, "Where did you find him, Lily-baby?"

A small smile formed on Lily's face. "A lab," she said.

Monica raised her eyebrows delicately. "Well then, he must be a genius. Tell me, Mr. Genius, do you know how to peel potatoes?"

* * *

"So, your name is Zack?"

Zack nodded. "Correct."

"And you work at the Jeffersonian with Lily-baby?"

"Also correct."

"And you—Oh honeybear, you're holding that wrong." Monica removed the peeler from his hand. "Like this." She demonstrated.

Zack nodded once and took back the peeler, a look of concentration in place as he started again on his potato. The half-peeled spud slipped out of his clenched hand and landed with a thud on the counter. Concentration morphed to confusion, and Lily gleefully hid her smile. The awkwardness was something she found oddly endearing.

"Why are we forcing Dr. Addy to help again?" Lily asked Monica.

Monica waggled her finger at the young woman. "When I grew up, you didn't help make it, you didn't eat it."

"At least stop with the third degree." Lily shook her head, still smiling. "Honestly, Mo, you could give Booth a run for his money. Ever considered a government job?"

"Mo?" questioned Zack.

"My nickname for her," Lily said in a low voice.

"Never working for the government, dear," said Monica firmly. "Mr. Channing and I had a few ideas that could threaten the trust the American people have in democracy."

Lily put a hand to her heart, eyes fluttering. "Oh my God, we have to introduce you to Jack Hodgins. The man would love you."

"I'll remember that, Lily-baby."

Lily looked over Zack's shoulder to see how he was doing and gasped. "Zack! You're bleeding!"

"I seem to have stabbed my finger with the tip of the peeler." He was peering at it very closely, squinting. "I think there's a bit of a potato peel in the cut."

"Don't just stare at it, Addy!" She grabbed his wrist and towed him into the bathroom as Monica watched, chuckling.

* * *

Lily put an alcohol-soaked cotton ball on the cut on his index finger. "Does it hurt?"

"Not really." He was immensely distracted, as both of her small, soft hands held his own. He didn't like the feeling of being distracted.

She sat on the lid of the toilet while he was perched on the side of her bathtub. She placed a Band-Aid over the now clean area and made sure it would stay on.

"Maybe I'll finish the potatoes," she said, adding teasingly, "I don't think blood is the flavor Monica's going for."

She looked in his eyes, which seemed to have turned a darker shade of brown in the last half hour, becoming a deep kind of coffee color that made her heart flip.

"What exactly is Monica teaching you to make?" he asked curiously.

"She says it's supposed to be mashed potatoes, roast beef, and asparagus." Lily laughed. "Frankly, I think asparagus is a little difficult for a first-time chef—"

Lily never got to finish her sentence, because a certain socially-inept young man's lips were pressed tentatively against hers.

She had imagined kissing Zack; that much she allowed herself to admit. But _OHMYGOD. Zack_ had just made the first move! _ZACK_! Guilt flooded her mind.

_Oh my god. I'm leaving in less than a week, and Zack just felt comfortable enough to kiss me._

Then, as instincts took over and she tilted her head slightly to the right, the kiss becoming less cautious, she thought, _I'm so screwed._

She pulled back, shaking her head wildly. "I can't do this, Zack."

His eyes portrayed a single pleading look, and then he stood, exiting the room. She took a deep breath to steady her rapidly beating heart, smoothing hair away from her face with both hands.

_I'm so screwed._

She sniffed for a moment, breathed in again, and went back into the kitchen. Monica gave her a concerned glance.

"Is everything alright, Lily-baby?" she asked.

"Fine."

"What happened to that Dr. Cutie?"

Lily's fingers curled around the edge of the green marble countertop. _He left. I hurt him, oh God, I hurt him so badly. He opened himself up and I just…_ "He had to go back to work. He's still working on that murder case, you know."

_Why am I lying to her?_

Monica seemed to know something was up, but if she had figured it out, she wasn't pressing for details. She went back to preparing the potatoes as Lily focused again on her breathing.

_Screw a week. I'm leaving tomorrow._

_

* * *

_

_Shane Addison wasn't tall, or handsome, or witty. He quite obviously didn't hold a candle to Corey. He stood stiffly, face in a nervous frown, and he stumbled awkwardly over his words as if he were unsure of if he was saying the right thing._

_"Hello, Agent Brooks," he said. "I…My name is Dr. Shane Addison. I work for—"_

_"I know," Mel interrupted shortly._

_He shifted from foot to foot. "I've been told that I'm going to be working with you from now on."_

_Mel didn't reply, simply took in his appearance. Wavy brown hair, luminous green eyes, the kind of face that fit the boy-next-door persona. She'd argue with her superiors about their choice of her partner later._

_"Alright, Addison," she said. "Let's see how well you fire a gun."_

_

* * *

_

Lily flipped the manuscript closed and set it down on the coffee table. The top page read, _Blood in the Snow, a novel by Lily Whitaker_. And in small letters right below that: _Dedicated to Dr. Zachary Uriah Addy. _She debated crossing the words out, but in the end, she couldn't bring herself to do it.

_

* * *

_

"Lily didn't come to work yesterday," said Hodgins two days later.

"I know," replied Zack stiffly.

"Do you know why?"

"No."

Hodge sighed. "You're my best friend, Zack, but you're basically transparent. I know something happened between you two, I just don't know what."

"I took your advice." Zack was organizing the evidence. Hecklend's court date had been bumped up to the last week of November. "I 'made a move'."

Hodge's eyes widened. "And?"

"And," said Zack, with something like hurt evident in his normally carefully-controlled voice, "she hasn't spoken to me since."

* * *

A/N: i thought that the part with Monica was somewhat hilarious. haha but that might just be me.

**review** and tell me what you think!

(p.s. JudeyBee, sorry to say this but...not yet in college.)


	18. Time Apart

In response to JudeyBee: what i want to know is if age makes a difference, haha. i mean, would it change how you viewed my story if i ended up being twelve? or twenty? or fifty? i just think that age isn't really important. if you have talent, then you have talent, and vice versa as the case may or may not be with me. that doesnt really change if you're fifteen or eighteen or anything else.

haha just thought i'd add my two cents there, cuz i am curious why my age rly matters.

my best friend says "you're only as old as you act".

:]

which means that i am occasionally six years old. xD lol!

A/N: anyway, on to the next chapter!

* * *

"This just came for you."

Booth thanked the agent and looked at the thick rectangular package on his desk. He opened it and a small piece of paper fluttered out.

_I didn't want this to go to waste. Thanks, Booth._

_Love, Lily_

Inside the package was Lily's typed and finished manuscript for her latest book. He stared at it uncomprehendingly for a moment.

_…What just happened?_

_

* * *

_

"Kid! Hey, kid, open up!" Booth banged harshly on the door. He heard a click behind him. "Oh, good, Mrs. Chan—I mean, Monica. Where's Lily? Is she painting again? She's not answering either of her phones—" He stopped. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Monica wore a black dress and a heartbroken expression. "Oh, babydoll. She didn't tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"She's gone, babydoll," she said heavily.

"Gone, what do you mean, gone?"

"She left. Packed up and moved out yesterday. I imagine little Lily-baby's at Harvard by now."

"_Harvard_?!"

Monica shook her head, looking like she was about to cry. "She was just getting happy, too."

* * *

Lily stared at her schedule with a bleak expression. No writing classes. No art. There was one basic English class, and then everything else submerged her neck-deep in law. Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Property Law…_My god, I'm going to commit suicide._

The phone in her dorm rang.

"Can you get that, Lacey?" called her roommate from her bedroom.

"_Lily_," corrected Lily under her breath.

Her roommate was twenty-two, named Crystal, and she was the ditziest woman Lily had ever met. Another ring.

"_Lacey,_ can you _get_ that?"

Lily rolled her eyes and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Lily, what the hell are you doing in Harvard—"

Lily's jaw dropped. "Booth?"

"—without so much as a word to anyone—"

"Booth."

"—Zack's miserable, he thinks he did something wrong, and even Hodge can't cheer him up—"

"_Booth_!"

There was a pause on the other end.

"Slow down," she said weakly.

"Why are you in Harvard and why didn't you tell anyone?"

"I'm going to law school, Booth."

"You _hate_ lawyers!"

"I know."

"You have to be in court for Hecklend's trial in less than a week!"

"I'll be there, Booth," she reassured.

"Can you at least tell me why you—"

"Tell Zack I…" She paused, realizing she didn't know what she wanted to tell the genius. She hung up the phone without another word.

* * *

Zack stared at the FBI agent.

"What do you mean she's not coming back?"

"She said she'll be here for the trial," said Booth with a sigh. "But she's not coming back to the Jeffersonian."

"Did she say why?" Hodgins was surprised, observing Booth like he was sure the whole thing was a joke.

Booth just shook his head. "She avoided the question."

"Well, can't you change her mind?" Zack appeared a little desperate.

"The kid's made up her mind. She's more stubborn than Bones."

Angela and Brennan had been uncharacteristically quiet, but now Brennan said, "It doesn't make sense for her to just leave without a reason."

"She wouldn't," said Angela. "That's not like Lily at all. She's not…She's not spontaneous like this."

The group was silent for a moment.

"I have work to do," Zack mumbled. He shuffled off.

"She really likes him." Angela sounded pained. "Why would she just _leave_?"

* * *

"If they move Hecklend's trial date one more time," growled Booth, "I'll shoot them."

Brennan glanced at him. "They only moved it back a week, Booth."

"I know, but a week's a long time. I've never been good with patience, Bones—"

"I find you to be a very patient man when there's a need for it." She smiled at him. "Are you worried about Lily?"

"…Yeah."

"Me, too."

* * *

"Do you want to watch _Firefly_?" Hodge asked hopefully.

Zack stared hard at the wall. "No."

"What about _Battlestar Galactica_, Z-man?"

"No thank you, Hodgins."

Hodgins sighed. "Alright. But you can't mope forever."

"I do not _mope_—"

"You've got it bad, dude," he said, shaking his head.

"I don't have anything bad—" Zack began to protest confusedly.

But Hodge was already gone.

* * *

Angela stared at the half-complete drawing of a red-blonde blue-eyed teenager. The face of said teenager was simple; mouth turned down, but oddly resembling a smile, eyes wide open in an _I dare you_ look. But somehow, the eyes weren't right. Angela set her unfinished artwork next to the completed picture of Caleb Whitaker. She contemplated drawing a picture of the siblings together.

Hodge came into her office.

"How's the drawing going?" he asked.

She let the pencil fall from her hand. "I miss Lily."

"Yeah," said Hodgins, nodding. "Me too."

"How's Zack?"

"Logical and in denial. So, the same."

"He doesn't know how to handle it," Angela murmured.

"No. He doesn't."

* * *

The phone rang. Lily paused, her pen stopping in mid-sentence.

"I'm in the middle of my Criminal Law essay," she muttered to herself. "It's ten at night on a Friday. Who the hell is calling me?"

She set her notebook and textbook next to her on her bed and got up, walking to the phone. The caller ID revealed it as Booth's number. She ignored it, counting slowly to twenty until the phone stopped ringing. She had just picked up her pen again when her cell vibrated from where it lay on her comforter. _I changed my number. How'd he get it?_

Sure enough, the screen read BOOTH CELL as if he was saying, _Lily, please, I'm FBI remember?_

She chewed on her lower lip and, after hesitating just a moment, pressed the left button under the word IGNORE.

* * *

"The kid's ignoring my calls!" burst Booth. He paced the length of Brennan's office, fuming. "It's bad enough that she just left and won't tell us why, but now she's not talking to us?!"

"Speak for yourself," said Brennan blatantly. "Angela's called her several times and Lily always picks up for her."

Booth's mouth dropped. Angela winced guiltily.

"She talks to you and not the rest of us?!"

"Maybe that's because I don't bombard her with questions about why she left," Angela said gently.

"Well, why not?!"

"When she wants to tell us, Booth, she'll tell us."

"That's not good enough, Ang. How do you stop yourself from asking every time you talk to her?"

"I ask how school is."

Booth blinked. The idea seemed foreign to him.

"She tells me about her classes and her idiot of a roommate. She complains about the immaturity of the other students and how she's too annoyed by them to try and make friends. She says how miserable she is and…" Angela paused as Zack walked past the door and said, loud enough for him to hear, "And Lily also says how much she misses us."

The genius slowed his pace for a moment, but didn't stop and respond.

* * *

Lily gaped at the cell phone screen. Her fingers had betrayed her; she had dialed Zack's number. She pressed END, even though she knew exactly what she wanted to say to him. It began with the simple words "I'm sorry".

* * *

A/N: okey dokey. sorry for the rant at the beginning of this. if it seemed like i was being mean or anything, i wasn't.

please **reviewww. **^_^ 40 more until i hit 200! (dear god i may faint)


	19. He's Lost His Marbles: All 393 of Them

A/N: again, it's uber short and i apologize, but i need to rewrite the courtroom scenes to make sure they're realistic enough coming from a girl who has had no experience in a criminal court case.

* * *

Zack stared at his ceiling, a muscle working in his jaw in a very Booth-like way that had him concerned for the state of his sanity. His hands were perched behind his head, in a position he found both uncomfortable and unnatural, but he didn't seem to have the energy to move his hands to their normal place beside him. His mind, usually calculating and tactical, had gone strangely blank. Well, blank except for Lily's face, which swam repeatedly to the front of his eyes. He didn't feel…Well, as Hodgins would say, he seemed to be missing his Zack-ness.

Lily was probably at a night class, or sleeping in her dorm, or out at a party, chatting up some guy who actually had courage and whom she wouldn't push away when he kissed her…

Zack sat up abruptly, the image of Lily with another guy, any guy, sending jolts of panic straight to his brain.

"Hodgins!" he croaked suddenly.

He ran out of his small apartment-like living space above Hodgins' garage, nearly sprinting into the main house.

"Hodgins!"

Silence.

"Hodge!"

"What?" Hodgins came stalking slowly down the stairs, sleep-mussed hair and eyes half-closed. "Zack? What the hell is going on?"

"I need you to drive me somewhere."

"Take a bus," the drowsy scientist grumbled. "I'm going back to bed."

"Please," said Zack firmly. "I want you to drive me to Cambridge, Massachusetts."

Hodgins just stared at Zack. "Have you lost your marbles?"

Zack frowned. "I don't—"

"Crazy, insane, bananas, mad, foolish, etcetera! Are you on drugs or something? What possessed you to ask me to drive you to _Massachusetts_ at _1 a.m._?!"

"Lily."

Hodge stopped. He took in the young anthropologist's appearance; dressed in his light blue striped pajamas, his hair sticking up in all directions even worse than normal, and a pleading, helpless look on his face. Hodgins sighed. Honestly, who in their right mind could say no to that?

"This is so beyond out of character for you," Hodgins mumbled. "And dude, you unbelievably owe me."

* * *

"393 miles," muttered Hodgins as he waited in the car for Zack. "393 goddamn miles just so Zack can tell the kid how he feels."

* * *

"_ZACK_?!" exclaimed Lily, rubbing her sleepy eyes. "What the hell are you—It's six in the morning, I have class in—Did you _drive_ here?"

"Yes." He looked unsure of himself, fidgeting and looking down as if he expected her to scold him like an impudent child.

"_Why_?"

"I wanted to tell you something." He cleared his throat.

She waited expectantly. "Okay?"

"I do believe I am more than just physically attracted to you. I think I may even be emotionally tied to you."

An amused expression danced across her features. "Dr. Addy, are you saying you love me?"

"Love is a biochemically-engineered emotion, created by the release of pheromones in the brain as a defense mechanism—" He stopped himself. "Yes."

And then she leaned forward, wrapped her arms around his neck and…His alarm clock went off. Zack Addy sat up in bed, sunlight streaming gently through the window, and stared at the wall opposite his bed as it slowly sunk in that the whole thing had been a dream.

* * *

It was weeks before any of them saw Lily again. She was standing just outside the door of the courtroom with Caroline Julian, her face scrunched in disgust. She pulled at the pink dress she wore. Angela observed this with a smile. Lily hated pink, and generally didn't care for dresses or skits. The jury consultant, Joy Deaver, had probably told her to wear it. Brennan hated that woman.

Lily's eyes strayed over to the Squint Squad. "Angela! Hodge!"

She ran at them. Angela hugged her first, closely followed by Hodgins.

Booth grumbled. "Fine. Didn't want a hug anyway."

Smiling, Lily went over to him, arms open. He angled himself away from her and her face clouded with hurt.

"Oh, don't look like that, kid," said Booth pleadingly. "None of us can hate you, even if you did leave without telling us."

"I'm really, really sorry about that."

"Just get over here and give me a hug before I change my mind."

She hugged Booth around the waist tightly. Then she saw Zack standing off to the side, and she froze. Booth extracted himself from her and said in a firm voice, "Talk to him, kid."

She swallowed. Booth pushed her toward Zack gently.

"Hi," she said, her voice cracking. She cleared her throat. "Hi."

"Hello."

They stood there for a while, neither saying anything. The rest of the Squint Squad, Booth, and Caroline waited.

"Zack—"

"Lily—"

Both stopped.

"You first," said Zack stiffly.

"I'M SO SORRY!" exploded Lily. Her words echoed through the halls of the building. "I'm really sorry! I didn't leave because of you, you didn't do anything wrong, I swear! And I'm sorry that I can't tell you the real reason why I left, I promise I will later, I swear. Please don't hate me! I couldn't stand it if you hated me—"

"Why?" Zack asked in a quizzical voice.

Lily blinked, her rant interrupted. "What?"

"Why did you leave after I kissed you? Tell me."

Booth and Brennan looked like someone had dropped a bomb on them. Angela and Hodge were practically glowing. Caroline huffed, hands on her hips.

"Can we wait until after the trial to dive into all this personal nonsense?" she said sensibly, though with her usual bossy undertone. "I don't want my key witness distracted."

Zack looked at her. "I'm not distracted—"

"Not you, cherie."

"I'm not that big of a witness," said Lily, flustered.

"I can see you didn't retain anything from those weeks of law school," said Caroline not unkindly. "Hecklend kidnapped _you_, murdered _your_ brother. We hardly have a case without you."

Lily turned a faint pink. "But—"

"The only butt I want is yours in that courtroom," gestured Caroline. "Now go."

* * *

Lily fidgeted in her seat as the judge took his chair. He was a rather tall man, thin with short white-blonde hair. He looked about fifty. She leaned over to Angela, who was seated between Zack and herself.

"Hey, Ang," she whispered. "Switch me?"

"There will be no seat switching," Caroline muttered from in front of them.

Lily settled back against the bench, looking dejected. Zack snuck a side glance at the blonde and then quickly faced forward. Angela merely grinned.

* * *

Dr. Brennan was first on the stand, then Hodgins, and then Zack. Brennan and Zack explained the forensics behind Caleb Whitaker's death and how they connected Hecklend to the murder. Hodge went in depth on how he used the particulates from the floor of Lily's returned car to determine where Hecklend had been keeping her. Lily absorbed all their words carefully in a vain attempt to keep herself from panicking. Despite that, she had to excuse herself from the courtroom as Angela took the stand. She spent all of Angela's testimony and half of Sweets' in the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face until her makeup was almost smeared off. She wiped her face and stared at her reflection, trying to still the butterflies in her stomach. When she sat again, Angela gave her a comforting smile as Booth placed his right hand on the Bible.

"You okay?" she asked, squeezing Lily's knee.

"Not really," said Lily weakly. "But that doesn't really matter. Let's do this."

* * *

A/N: **review **please. **25 **left until i hit 200 and faint! and i know you all want to see that.

please and thankyou! ^_^


	20. Cross Examination, Cherie

A/N: eh. i wasn't able to do very much research that helped me. so, if this seems unrealistic, tell me how to fix it and i will try to rewrite it. or, just bear with me.

* * *

"Agent Booth," began Caroline, "Can you explain to me, in detail, what you did on the day you found Miss Whitaker?"

"I drove Dr. Brennan and myself to the place that Dr. Hodgins had figured out was where Lily was being kept," said Booth calmly. "I approached with my gun out, entered the building, and found Hecklend waiting for us."

"Where was Miss Whitaker?"

"We hadn't found her yet. Hecklend was threatening Dr. Brennan and said he would shoot her if I didn't let him go. Lily came running out the front door. I assume she was able to escape."

"Thank you, Agent Booth." Caroline, however, didn't look satisfied, and the defendant's lawyer, Mr. Michaels, was smirking.

* * *

Mr. Michaels was a broad-shouldered man with a wide smile and cloudy blue eyes. He approached the witness stand with his hands behind his back, a position Booth immediately detested.

"Agent Booth, was Dr. Brennan the only one in your car?"

Booth hesitated just a moment. "No."

The smirk gained confidence. "Who else was in it?"

"Dr. Zachary Addy had hidden in the backseat."

"And when did you realize it?"

"About five minutes before we reached Lily's location."

"And did you turn around and bring him right back to the Jeffersonian?"

"…No."

"Are you aware that my client was shot?"

"Yes."

"By your gun, nonetheless."

"Yes."

"Any idea why?"

Booth sighed, seeing where he was going with this. "Since Dr. Addy was present, I had him look for Lily. He found her and they rushed outside while Hecklend and I were facing off. Hecklend had Dr. Brennan in front of him, and he had his gun aimed at me. I turned when Lily and Dr. Addy came outside, and he shot while I was distracted. Lily pushed me away, and Dr. Addy pushed her. The bullet caught him on the arm, but Lily thought that he had gotten hurt. She had grabbed the gun Dr. Brennan had dropped, and she shot Hecklend before he could shoot anyone else. He shot again and hit Lily before Dr. Brennan and I got the gun away from him."

Mr. Michael's smirk was gone. He realized that Booth's recollection was doing nothing to help the defense.

"That's all, Agent Booth."

* * *

"Miss Whitaker, do you know a man named Drew Hecklend?" asked Caroline.

Lily played with her hands, then caught the look Angela sent her from the crowd and stopped. "Yes."

"Is he in this room?"

"Yes." Lily pointed past Caroline to the man sitting in the chair behind the defendant's table. He had bowed his head for the other testaments, but for hers his head was up, and he caught her eyes and held them.

"Let the records show that Miss Whitaker identifies the defendant. When did you first meet the defendant?"

"When I was six years old."

"How?"

"He kidnapped and raped me." Her voice remained steady as she aimed the comments directly at Hecklend, a fact she was immensely grateful for.

"And that was the last time you saw the bastard?"

Mr. Michaels stood up in his chair. "Objection, Your Honor!"

"Sustained, said the judge calmly. "Miss Julian, please refrain from swearing."

"I apologize Your Honor, I didn't realize I wasn't allowed to call a kidnapping murderer a bastard."

The jury tittered.

"Your Honor—" protested Michaels.

Caroline smiled. "I apologize. Miss Whitaker, was that the last time you saw Mr. Hecklend?"

"No. I saw him again a few weeks ago when he showed up outside my work and kidnapped me."

"Object—"

"I'm done here, Your Honor."

* * *

"Miss Whitaker," said Mr. Michaels. She had a feeling she would hate being called that by the time this trial was over. "Is it true you've been seeing a therapist?" He smiled at her as if she were his newest best friend.

"Psychiatrist," she corrected.

He raised his eyebrows. "Does it make a difference?"

Lily tensed and said, "I think it does."

"Alright. So, you are indeed seeing a psychiatrist?" He was still smiling.

"Yes. Dr. Sweets was assigned by the FBI to examine my mental state after the abduction." Her tone implied that she didn't much enjoy talking about this. His grin only grew.

"Are you sure it was not because you used an FBI-issue gun to shoot my client?"

"That may have had something to do with it," she conceded dryly.

A few members of the jury smiled. Booth felt a surge of pride. She was already winning the hearts of the jury, and she wasn't even trying.

"And you also underwent psychiatric care as a child?"

"Yes, after the first kidnapping."

"What was your psychiatrist's name?" he asked.

She resisted the urge to bite her lip. Michaels already knew the answer. He was only asking for the jury.

"Dr. Burk," she said.

"Do you know Dr. Burk's diagnosis?" he innocently asked. "His explanation for…" He glanced down at a clipboard. "Night terrors, mood swings, drop in grades…?"

"I would assume Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Getting raped at six will do that to you, you know."

Again the jury chuckled quietly. Michaels laughed a little himself, though it seemed forced.

"Miss Whitaker, I suppose I'll just get to the point."

Suddenly, Lily realized she didn't like his smile at all.

* * *

Zack leaned forward fractionally. "I don't get it. What's he trying to do?"

"He's trying to eliminate our best witness," mumbled Caroline, "ruin the jury's opinion of her sanity. He wants it to appear as though Lily's not in the right state of mind to be used as a credible witness. Now shush, stop talking, cherie."

* * *

"Miss Whitaker, is it possible that you've got the wrong man?"

Lily blinked. "I don't know what you're getting at."

"When you were six, you described your assailant as having brown eyes."

"Yes, that's right."

"Drew Hecklend's eyes are blue."

It took a moment for that to sink in. "No they are—"

"Yes, they are, Miss Whitaker. You also said your kidnapper had a mustache. As you can see, Mr. Hecklend does not."

"How hard is it to shave a mustache?" she demanded.

Michaels looked amused. "You're getting riled up, Miss Whitaker."

"No, actually, I'm very calm. But this is ridiculous. You're pulling reasons out of thin air in order to debunk what I'm saying, because you don't have any actual things to defend him with. He's obviously guilty, and you can't prove that wrong—"

* * *

"Uh oh," said Booth. "She needs to calm down."

"What?" whispered Brennan.

"If she doesn't calm down soon," he said quietly to her, "Michaels will have won. He wanted this to be her reaction. He wants the jury to see her angry."

* * *

Lily stopped abruptly, seeming to realize the same thing. She took a deep breath.

"Miss Whitaker," said Michaels in a low voice. "I understand this is very upsetting for you. It's an emotional time. If you would like to take a break…"

"I'm fine." Her voice was firm.

He looked mildly surprised; evidently, he had expected her to start crying or something. "Alright. A few more questions, then."

"Fire away."

"What are your relationships with your co-workers at the Jeffersonian?"

"They are just that: co-workers," said Lily. "I have also known them to be friends. They are the equivalent of a family."

"A family. That is something everyone aspires to have in the workplace. Now, would your friends ever do any favors for you?"

Lily's eyes narrowed. "I beg your pardon?"

"I suppose I'll have to be blunt. Did you or did you not ask your colleagues at the Jeffersonian to tamper with evidence in order to convict a man you openly loathe?"

"Objection, Your Honor," said Caroline, standing.

"I'll allow it," said the judge, "but careful of your questions, Mr. Michaels. Please answer the question, Miss Whitaker."

Lily merely looked stunned. The courtroom was silent, waiting for her response.

"I would never," she said. "Never! How dare you ask me that. I would never ask that of the scientists at the Jeffersonian, friend or not, family or not. And they are just that: _scientists_. They pride themselves on their search for the _truth_. They would never botch evidence or tamper with evidence, not even for a friend. They are professionals, Mr. Michaels."

The smile was gone from Michaels' face as a few members of the jury nodded slightly as she spoke.

"Thank you, Miss Whitaker. I have no more questions."

* * *

"They aren't even trying to defend themselves against the second kidnapping charges," said Caroline during the break. "If they can shed the charges for the first abduction and first degree murder, he'll get a maximum of ten years, if that."

Lily was very quiet, her hands curled around her styrofoam cup of coffee.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't handle that very well, did I?"

"No, you didn't, cherie," Caroline said. Then she sighed. "But Michaels is a slimy one, so we can't blame you."

"Even though the rest of us did quite well," said Brennan. Booth glared at her as Lily put her head in her hands. Brennan blinked. "What? What did I say?"

Zack was sitting next to her. They were all together, having pulled two tables together in the small café. He fidgeted, and then said, "You did fine."

Lily lifted her head and looked at him, taken aback. "Did you just lie to make me feel better?" She turned her disbelieving gaze on the rest of them. "Did Zack just _lie_ to _make me feel better_?"

"That would be a yes, kid," said Booth.

"Who are you and what have you done with Zack?!"

The group laughed as Zack frowned and said, "I don't get it."

Lily's face flushed. "I'm going to get more coffee."

Angela raised her eyebrows, calling her bluff by saying, "Your cup is full, Lily."

Her blush deepened. "Oh…Right."

"So, why did you leave?" asked Booth, unable to keep himself from asking.

She stood. "Sugar. I need sugar."

She power-walked to the counter where there was an array of creamers and sugar packets. Booth made a move to get up and follow her, but Angela grabbed his arm with a fierce look. Caroline appraised them.

"She hasn't told you yet for a reason," she said.

"She told _you_?" asked Booth skeptically.

"Yes. Lily needed legal advice."

"_Why_?"

"Why? Because her father's a nutjob, cherie. And that's my professional opinion."

"What'd he do?" asked Hodgins.

"He's blackmailing her," Caroline said simply. "He said if she doesn't graduate law school and quit writing, he'll take away her brother's kid."

"What? She just gained custody!" protested Angela.

"Her father's a lawyer and threatened to use that to repeal her custodial rights." Caroline scoffed. "It's total bullshit, any good lawyer can see that, but the girl doesn't want to take that chance."

The group exchanged looks. Lily came back, cleared her throat, and sat down.

"What'd I miss?" she asked feebly.

"A lot," said Hodgins. "You've missed a lot."

* * *

A/N: well? this chapter was a little iffy for me, but i can't wait for this whole Hecklend business to be over. i hate that man.

even though i created him.

10 reviews until i hit 200! :D **review!**


	21. Spectacular

A/N: in case any of you were wondering, yes, i actually did faint when i saw that, not only had i _hit_ 200 reviews, i had _passed_ 200 reviews.

i started jumping up and down and giggling and screaming like a dork. then i skipped in a circle. then i tripped over the corner of a rug. and hit my head on the desk. and was sent to the hospital.

don't worry, i'm not seriously injured. just a small concussion, and i've already gotten like two of those, so it's no big deal. but anyway. ON WITH THE STORY!

* * *

"Hey, Zack," said Lily hesitantly. They stood in the hallway outside of the courtroom. Lily had grabbed his arm and pulled him off to the side as the group filtered in. "What did Caroline say to you guys?"

"She told us you left the Jeffersonian because your father wanted to take Adeline. She said it was bullshit," he deadpanned.

Color crept up Lily's cheeks.

"So, uh, what do _you_ think?" she asked.

"It's illogical," said Zack. Her face crumpled. "Caroline's a much better lawyer than your father." He paused, taking in her expression, and felt a rush of tenderness which he found very confusing. "But I think I understand."

The hope in her eyes returned.

"You really care about Adeline."

She nodded. "Besides, when am I ever logical?"

"You aren't. You've never been logical…That was a rhetorical question."

"Yeah. It was." Lily smiled brightly. "Are we good, Zack?"

"Yeah, you guys are spectacular," said Booth, popping his head in between them. "Now, if you don't mind, Caroline is going to start eating people if you two don't get in here."

* * *

"What's happening?" asked Lily.

Caroline sighed. "It's not good, cherie. I don't think the jury is completely sold yet. It would help if there was some way to tie Hecklend to the stab wounds. Without that knife there's a giant hole in our accusations. And since you didn't find a knife…"

"It was a _hotel room_," Booth stressed. "There wasn't even a kitchen, let alone a random butcher knife."

"Well, what about the shack?" asked Hodgins, leaning in to join the huddle. "Did you check the shack where we found Lily?"

"Of course we checked it. Nothing but the cans of paint thinner," said Booth, getting a little offended. "We're not idiots, Hodgins—"

"Where else could it be?" pressed Angela. "Think guys, we need this."

"If we convict him of the murder charge, he'll get the death penalty. If he walks on that charge, and if they manage to convince the jury he's not guilty of the first kidnapping account, he'll get 10 years," Caroline said. "Maximum."

Lily tangled her fingers into her hair, an expression so distressed that Booth was worried she would tear her hair out.

"If he walks…If he's out in 10 years…" Lily shook her head.

Zack lifted his hand and put it awkwardly on her shoulder. Then, suddenly, he perked up, his face brightening.

"I know that look, Z-man," said Hodgins carefully.

"I know where the knife is. I'm going to need the paint thinner you acquired, a twenty-gallon fish tank, and some chicken wire."

* * *

Zack pried the lid off of one of the cans of paint thinner, dumping it into the chicken-wire-covered tank. The liquid within the can seeped quickly past the wire.

"So, basically this works as a giant strainer?" Lily peered into the tank. She had been the one to drive Zack back to the lab. Well, first to the hardware store for chicken wire, which the Jeffersonian mysteriously lacked, and _then_ to the lab.

"That is correct." Zack opened another can and poured its contents into the makeshift strainer.

"You really think Hecklend hid the knife in the paint thinner?"

He emptied a third can and something silver, covered in the pungent liquid, was revealed. "Does that answer your question?"

Lily's eyes lit up, and she began jumping up and down excitedly. "Oh my God! Zack! You did it! You did it!"

She squealed in happiness, flinging her arms around his neck. "My God, Zack, I love you!"

"Um…"

Then she pulled back and kissed him fiercely on the lips as astonished Zack blinked in shock.

* * *

Lily came skipping up to Caroline like a happy four-year-old, grinning ear to ear.

"He found it!" she sang. "Zack found the knife. Complete with Caleb's blood and Hecklend's partial fingerprint!"

And then, to everyone's further surprise, she went back to where the shy genius stood, took his hand, and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Let's convict this guy," said Lily cheerfully.

Zack smiled down at her tentatively as she pulled him gently into the courtroom. "Yes," he agreed. "Let's…go get him?"

Lily laughed. Booth turned to Angela, who was staring at the two with a mixed look of shock and delight, and asked, "What the hell just happened?"

* * *

Mr. Michaels looked discontented as the jury trailed slowly back into the room. The judge cleared his throat.

"Jury, have you reached a verdict?"

A petite brunette woman stood, and Booth recognized her as one of the jurors that Lily had seemed to be connecting to. "We have, Your Honor."

She looked down at a piece of paper. Lily held her breath, and, on impulse, Zack reached over and took her hand.

"The jury finds the defendant…"

_Stupid dramatic pause,_ thought Lily nervously. _I'm going to die of anxiety, I swear—_

"Guilty of all charges."

* * *

"Holy hell, holy _freaking _hell!"

Lily laughed out loud, dancing in a large circle around the parking lot. Booth had to laugh at the sight. Honestly, she was just too _funny_. She punched the air victoriously.

Suddenly, her laughter died away. She was staring at her car.

"Hey, kid, what's going—" He stopped.

Her father stood by Lily's small white Mazda, a small child perched haphazardly in his arms. His face was a simple stone mask.

"Lily," he said with a tilt of his head that Booth assumed could count as a nod.

"Dad." Lily's voice cracked. She clasped her hands behind her back and began to wring them. "What are you doing here?"

Booth glanced quickly around the parking lot. He and Lily were the last of the Jeffersonian crew remaining, as Hodgins had already left to get Angela and Zack home and Brennan had uttered something about being late for an interview for her latest book. The parking lot was devoid of people, all people except for Lily, Lily's asshole father, and Booth himself.

"I heard the verdict," said Mr. Whitaker. He didn't look like he wanted to be here, and he didn't look like he wanted to be talking to her. "Congratulations on getting the bastard."

"I don't need your praise, Dad," Lily said, much to Booth's surprise. She had stopped wringing her hands, and now they were clenched into fists at her sides. "I've lived without it for twenty-four years."

"I talked with that prosecutor woman." His voice was gruff. Obviously he was trying to overlook her comment. "Carmen or whatever."

"Caroline Julian, Dad."

"Her. I spoke with her."

"About what?" Lily angled herself slightly, looking at Booth out of the corner of her eye. She jerked her head slightly and not-so-subtly in the direction of his car. She wanted him to leave.

He shook his head and planted his feet solidly on the ground. She sighed, but he could see the small smile that poked at the corners of her lips.

"About Adeline," said her father. The small child in his arms shifted, and Lily's breath hitched. She was just short of a year old now.

_Caleb had gone missing first…then Kathy had died…__Adeline's been through enough change.  
_

"And?" she asked, unable to help sounding anxious.

And as Booth look from Lily to her father to the baby in Mr. Whitaker's arms, he decided that if the man did not hand that kid over to Lily, there was going to be some threats flying. Booth was a creative man; he was sure he could come up with something to make the older man squirm.

* * *

A/N: well? well? well???

i finished this and rewarded myself with a brownie! but that doesn't mean i don't need reviews!!!

i'm going to be bold: **300 reviews is my next target!**


	22. For God's Sake

A/N: sorry i haven't updated in forever, haha. i've been fighting with my parents and it's ended up distracting me. put it this way: my father was the inspiration for Lily's father.

* * *

The urge to cry was almost overwhelming. She could see it in her father's face; she wasn't going to get Adeline. Behind her, Booth took a step forward, growling low and guttural in his throat. Mr. Whitaker's gaze shifted from her to Booth, and his expression was invaded with something akin to fear. Finally, Lily couldn't take the silence any longer and yelled, "For God's sake, Dad!"

Her dad looked at her in surprise.

"Just give me the damn child!" Her face betrayed her anger. "You've always kept everything from me my whole life. Would it _kill_ you to let me have one thing? You don't want her! I do! _Caleb_ didn't even want you to have her.

"Caroline said your claims are complete crap. So guess what? I can _sue _you, Dad. I'm trying to be a better person in this, but you're making it impossible!"

Stiffly, her father said, "I was going to give you the child, Lily. But since you're being so ungrateful—"

"Oh, _please_, Dad," she snorted. "Can we drop the act? Stop pretending like you have any power over me anymore. I'm not a little girl for you to boss around and step on. I'm a young successful career woman, and damn it all, I'm putting my foot down!"

"What are you saying?" Mr. Whitaker asked with narrowed eyes.

"I'm saying—" She paused. Her mind turned to Zack, his eyes, his smile, his hurt expression when she had left… "I'm saying I'm not going to law school. I'm saying I want to be a writer. I'm saying damn you and your bullshit threats."

Chest swelling with fatherly pride, Booth took another step forward and said, "So, I suggest you give Lily the kid now."

Her father shot the FBI agent a look of disgust and stepped up to Lily. Adeline, who had begun to cry, abruptly ceased when Lily held her. The woman's face softened at the small child. Inspired, Lily looked back up at her father and smiled widely.

"One more thing, Dad," she said. "Don't ever come see me again."

* * *

Angela, Hodgins, and Zack all entered the door of Lily's apartment. Booth had called in a favor, which meant that all of Lily's things from Harvard had been brought back within four hours of her decision. The front room was filled with boxes, but the sofa was in place. Lily sat upon it, a glowing look on her face as she smiled down at a small bundle—

"OhmyGod!" squealed Angela, her hands flying up to her mouth. "You got her!"

Lily looked up and laughed at her friend's expression. "Yeah."

Angela raced over to the couch, plopping down next to Lily and peering down at the kid. Adeline had Caleb's red-gold hair, and bright, crisp blue eyes. She saw Angela looking at her and burst into a high-pitched giggle.

"Awww!" Angela cooed. "She's adorable!"

Lily looked up as Hodgins also made his way over. She smiled at Zack. "Come here," she said gently. "I want you to meet my niece."

As Zack's face appeared in her vision, Adeline giggled again, ever the happy baby. She lifted her small hands and reached towards him, and Zack paused. Lily kept smiling, slowly guiding Zack's hand to Adeline's. The little girl closed both hands around his index finger. As Angela let loose another "aww", Zack looked at Lily and smiled.

Suddenly, Lily's expression became serious, and she brought her lips to Zack's ear and whispered, "I love you."

* * *

The next day, at the Jeffersonian, Zack was oddly focused. Oddly because for the last few weeks he had been distracted with Lily-related thoughts. Perhaps, thought Hodgins, now that things were finally good between them, there was less reason for distraction. But still, he found it slightly disturbing how Zack was staring down the skull of the victim in their newest case, almost _glaring_ at it. Eventually Hodge could take no more and asked, "Dude, what's your damage?"

Not tearing his eyes away from the skull, Zack replied simply, "Damage?"

"Deal, problem, dilemma. What's going on?"

"Nothing, Hodge."

Hodgins snorted. "Yeah, like I believe that."

So Zack put down the skull, looked Hodgins straight in the eyes and said, "What does one say when told 'I love you'?"

* * *

"What do you _mean_ he didn't say anything?" Angela demanded.

"I _mean_," said Lily crossly, pacing the length of Angela's office while Adeline dozed in her arms, "he didn't say _anything_!"

When the woman walked past her, Angela deftly plucked the baby from her grasp. Her arms now freed, Lily moved them animatedly as she spoke and continued unheeded in her pacing.

"Absolutely _nothing_! Not a word! And then, he didn't speak to me the entire rest of the visit!"

"Yeah, I noticed that," Angela said bleakly, bouncing Adeline slightly when the young one threatened to wake. "I thought it was strange."

"Ugh!" Lily flopped on the couch, flinging one arm over her eyes. Awakened, Adeline began to cry. Lily sighed and held out her arms wordlessly. Angela handed her back; the girl would only sleep for Lily.

"So," she said. "What are you going to do?"

Lily sighed. "I don't know, Angela. I just don't know."

* * *

A/N: soo???

and you guys thought everything was going to be hunky dory. xD

review!!! :DD


	23. My Musical: Part One

A/N: there's nothing special about the number 23, and i haven't hit 300 reviews, but i decided this chapter couldn't wait any longer.

BEHOLD! i hope you enjoy. it would help if you looked up and/or listened to the songs used in this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Annie Get Your Gun, West Side Story, or any songs/lyrics associated.

* * *

"Special Agent Seeley Booth, here to—Whoa!" Booth recoiled away from the scene, roped off by bright yellow DO NOT CROSS tape. "Bones, what the hell is that?!"

"Human remains," said Brennan matter-of-factly. "Female."

Booth had to turn away, warning Lily away as she attempted to peek over Brennan's shoulder. The body was dismembered and horribly decomposed, though the flesh clung to pure white bone like only the top layer of skin had been stripped off. The eyes were gone, probably eaten away by maggots. Lily inched forward, trying to get past Booth, but he again pushed her back away from the tape.

"Look like she's been dead for a few months," Brennan added.

Lily was practically bouncing. "Can we go back to the lab now? Please?"

"Eager to get away from the smell?" asked Booth, his nose wrinkling.

"No. I want to find out who she is. This is my first case since the trial. I'm excited!"

* * *

"What did you end up doing with Adeline?" asked Booth, walking back to his car. He looked over his shoulder at her.

"Monica volunteered to look after her." Lily grinned. "Oh, and she says she wants to have you come over and taste test my cooking."

Booth raised his eyebrows. "She's teaching you to cook? How's _that_ going?"

"Let me put it this way: Zack attempted to help and ended up bleeding."

As Booth's eyes widened, Lily laughed evilly. _Oh, Lily-baby, you silly thing, _she imagined Monica saying. _You're just evil._

* * *

Lily, having been—unlike Booth—able to keep her lunch in her stomach, returned to the Jeffersonian late with Hodgins. She'd helped the FBI agents collect evidence and assisted Hodge in collecting particulates for him to analyze. As she entered the Jeffersonian, she peeked out of the corner of her eye at Zack.

"What's the deal with you two?" Hodge asked. "It's like you should be dating but you aren't."

"I don't know what we are," she replied honestly. Then she stopped, tugging gently on the arm of his blue coat. "Look, I…I told Zack that I loved him."

Hodgins nodded guiltily and said, "Yeah, I know. He asked me what a person normally says in response to that."

Lily's jaw dropped. "He asked you what to say? Is it really so hard for him to just _answer_ for _himself_?!"

"He doesn't work like a normal person," Hodge reasoned. "He's just different with the emotional stuff."

"I know," grumbled Lily.

"So, just give him time. He'll say it in his own way."

"I'm just…starting to think he, you know…" She fidgeted. "Doesn't."

"Trust me, kid. He does."

* * *

"Sophia Langston," said Angela with a grim smile, dropping a picture of a sophisticated dark-haired green-eyed woman on the desk. Lily got up from the couch and peered at it.

She raised an eyebrow. "I've seen her before. She famous or something?"

"Or something," Angela replied. "She's a huge star on Broadway. Sing, dance, act; this girl had it all. Only twenty-three."

"She's a Broadway star?" asked Lily.

"Yeah. According to this, she's been in everything from _Beauty and the Beast_ to _West Side Story_."

"I've always loved Broadway," Lily said wistfully.

Angela laughed. "Don't start picturing everything in musical numbers, Lily. I can't sing for the life of me."

"I won't." Lily grinned. "Promise."

* * *

Lily walked up the stairs slowly, originally intending to confront Zack about his silence. Hodge had been right, of course, but Lily didn't really have an overflowing amount of patience and—

"What's going on?" She froze upon seeing Booth, and two other FBI agents, facing Brennan with serious expressions.

"Look, I'm sorry, Bones, but—" Booth was saying. He stopped and turned. "Lily. Good, you should probably hear this, too…"

"Dr. Brennan…?"

Brennan was standing with her arms crossed, looking extremely peeved. "Booth has decided that an official investigation isn't necessary."

"_I _didn't decide," Booth said defensively. "My superiors did."

"Why?" asked Lily.

"Sophia Langston is a big-time star, security all over the place—"

"All the more necessary to conduct an _official_ investigation," Brennan interrupted.

"—and the FBI doesn't want the Jeffersonian to blather about this to the media just yet." When Hodge and Zack looked about to respond, Booth held up his hand. "Face it guys, you have a tendency to blather."

The group shared insulted looks.

"The FBI just doesn't really want you guys poking too much into this," said Booth, fidgeting, as if that justified it.

"That's too bad," Brennan said. "We want to find the truth. Doesn't the FBI care about the truth anymore?"

Lily watched them, her mind wandering…

She could just picture them, a group of suit-and-tie FBI agents facing off against the blue-jacketed Squint Squad…

_"The Feds are gonna have their day, tonight. The Feds are gonna have their way, tonight. The scientists they grumble, 'fair fight', but if they start a rumble, we'll rumble 'em right." _

Lily giggled girlishly. Now the Squint Squad's verse…

_"We're gonna hand 'em a surprise tonight. We're gonna cut 'em down to size tonight. We said okay no rumpus, no tricks, but just in case they jump us, we're ready to mix. Tonight!"_

Booth's solo, pumping up his buddies for a big fight…

_"We're gonna rock it tonight, we're gonna jazz it up and have us a ball."_

_"They're gonna get it tonight," _Brennan would sing, _"the more they turn it up the harder they fall."_

_"Well they began it!" _shouted the Feds.

_"Well they began it!" _countered the Squint Squad.

Now both…

_"And we're the ones to stop it once and for all! Tonight!"_

_

* * *

_

"So, what are we going to do?" Lily asked, putting her chin on her hand and observing Brennan as she worked. She kept an eye on Zack using her peripheral vision. _It's only a matter of time before he caves and starts talking to me. Right?_

"We're going to keep working," said Brennan forcefully. "We won't let them stop us."

"So, are you fighting with Booth now?"

"Booth and I do not fight," she said, directing her attention to the skull of Sophia Langston. "We merely argue."

And, of course, that sent Lily's imagination into hyper-drive…

Brennan stood in the middle of a spotlight, dressed in Annie Oakley's blue dress, hands on hips as she proudly declared…

_"Anything you can do, I can do better."_

Booth butted into the spotlight, bumping her out and smiling, adjusting his sleeves. _"I can do anything better than you."_

_"No you can't," _sang Brennan.

_"Yes, I can."_

_"No, you can't."_

_"Yes, I can."_

_"No, you can't."_

_"Yes, I can, yes I can!" _With a frown, Brennan stomped back into the spotlight, pushing him away. _"Anything you can be, I can be greater. Sooner or later, I'm greater than you."_

_"No, you're not." _Another shove, and Booth was again alone in the light.

_"Yes, I am." _She came back, staring him down.

_"No, you're not."_

_"Yes, I am."_

_"No, you're _not_."_

_"Yes, I am, yes, I am!"_

Booth huffed. _"I can shoot a partridge, with a single cartridge."_

_"I can get a sparrow, with a bow and arrow," _bragged Brennan, turning her back on him.

_"I can live only on bread and cheese."_

She turned back. _"And only that?"_

_"Yes."_

_"So can a rat."_

Booth's jaw dropped and his face formed a scowl. _"I can drink my liquor faster than a flicker."_

_"I can drink it quicker and get even sicker!"_

_"I can open any safe," _boasted Booth.

_"Without getting caught?"_

_"Sure."_

_"That's what I thought—you crook!"_

Both turned their backs, singing now over their shoulders.

_"Anything you say I can say faster. I can say anything faster than you,"_ said Brennan pointedly.

_"No, you can't."_

_"Yes, I can."_

_"No, you can't."_

_"Yes, I can."_

_"Noyoucan't."_

_"YesIcan!" _

Now they faced each other, as the music built in volume…

_"No, you can't, can't, can't."_

_"Yes, I can, can, can."  
_

_"Yes I caaaaan!"_

_"No, you caaaaan't!"_

_

* * *

_A/N: well?!?!?!?! c'mon i need feedback! remember, it's only part one! part two is on the way! ^_^


	24. My Musical: Part Two

A/N: well, you know...PART TWO!!! :DDD everyone enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own The Secret Garden, Jesus Christ Superstar, West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, Scars on Broadway, Sideshow, Annie Get Your Gun, or any songs/lyrics associated.

* * *

_I will not cave first. I will not cave first…_

"Hi, Zack," she said, approaching with her big fake smile. _If he notices I'm really upset, I'll know he cares._

He looked at her blankly, and that alone was enough to tear at her heart. "Hello, Lily. Can I help you with something?"

She opened her mouth, trying to meet his eyes. He waited. _Yeah, you can help me. Tell me you love me. Tell me _something_. Please._

"Yeah," she said finally. "Tell me…"

_Tell me you love me._

She sighed, her shoulders sagging. "Can you tell me where Cam is? If I don't get something to do soon, I'll explode."

"That's a logical impossibility," he replied. "Cam is in her office."

Lily watched Zack walk away for perhaps the millionth time. She turned, fighting back tears, and stomped half-heartedly not into Cam's office, but into Angela's.

"He doesn't care," said Lily desolately.

Angela blinked, setting down her painting. "Who doesn't care, sweetie?"

"Zack!"

"Lily," said Angela carefully, approaching the woman. "Why don't you just tell him how you feel?"

"You really think he's going to understand my frustration that he hasn't responded?" Lily asked.

Angela bit her lip. "No, not really." She sighed. "But, Lily, sweetie, what would you do if he did tell you he loved you? That's big for him, I mean _really_ big." Angela sensed Lily needed to vent, and waited patiently.

Lily's thoughts turned to cheesy Broadway music yet again, and she voiced them aloud. The music was faster, louder. After all, she was angry…

_"I don't know how to love him," _she began._ "What to do, how to move him. I've been changed, yes really changed. In these past few days, when I've seen myself, I seem like someone else."_

Angela listened, nodding solemnly.

_"I don't know how to take this." _She flung her arms in the air._ "I don't see why he moves me. He's a man. He's just a man. And I've had so many men before, in very many ways, he's just one more. Should I bring him down? Should I scream and shout? Should I speak of love, let my feelings out? I never thought I'd come to this. What's it all about?"_

She paused for a moment, huffing._ "Don't you think it's rather funny, I should be in this position. I'm the one who's always been so calm, so cool, no lover's fool, running every show." _Again, Angela nodded.

_"He scares me so. I never thought I'd come to this. What's it all about? Yet, if he said he loved me, I'd be lost. I'd be frightened. I couldn't cope, just couldn't cope. I'd turn my head. I'd back away. I wouldn't want to know."_

_

* * *

_

"You're really screwing things up, man."

Zack looked, confused at Hodgins. "Hm?"

"Lily. You're screwing up things with Lily when you're finally almost in the clear." Hodgins shook his head. "It's a mistake to let this go, dude."

"Love is an illusion, it's illogical—" he protested.

"You only haven't answered her because you're afraid," interrupted Hodge. "I know what it's like. I've been there."

At that moment, Lily walked quickly past them, but something in their conversation caught her attention. She ducked down behind one of the leafy ferns, hidden by the lower half of the platform, and her Broadway-flooded mind transformed the whole thing into song…

_"Even seeing smiling faces I am lonely pondering," _sang Zack softly. _"Who will love me as I am? Who will ever call to say I love you? Send me flowers or a telegram? Who could proudly stand beside me? Who will love me as I am?"_

The music changed, nothing but a few lone piano keys clinking away.

_"Lily would,"_ Hodge replied, in song of course. _"Lily will."_

Zack shook his head fiercely. The music again changed, became faster.

_"There's a prison that's gone, but the fear lives on." _Hodgins clapped Zack on the shoulder. _"I watched you walking the dotted line. Maybe you don't see what's right in front of me."_

"Right in front of you?" Zack asked quizzically.

Hodge nodded seriously. "What's right in front of me is the fact that you love her."

A slow, small smile formed on the genius's face, and Lily felt her own face heat up in a blush. _I can't believe I've sunk so low as to spy on him._ But then the music started again…

_"She loves me, and to my amazement I love it knowing that she loves me."_

Hodgins chuckled a little. "There you go."

_"My teeth ache from the urge to touch her. I'm speechless for I mustn't tell her."_

"And why not?"

Zack tweaked his mouth to the side as he considered, but then he shrugged, "Because she loves me." He paused, his brow furrowing. _"I'm tingling such a delicious tingle, I'm trembling, what the hell does that mean? I'm freezing…"_ Another pause. "That's because it's cold out."

Hodgins laughed.

_"But still I'm incandescent and like some adolescent I'd like to scrawl on every wall I see. She loves me."_

"So," Hodge said with a wide grin. "Go tell her, you idiot."

Zack turned to do just that, and Hodgins watched his best friend leave with an exasperated sigh.

"Well, _that_ took long enough." He shook his head.

Lily crept away silently, praying to not be seen. Instead, she saw someone who was himself trying not to be seen. Sweets did as Hodgins was doing, watching Zack as he went in search of Lily to tell her his answer to her confession. He sighed heavily. Lily stopped, feeling as though she were intruding. And damn it all, the music in her head was just relentless!

_"Strangely quiet, but now the storm simply rests to strike again. Standing, waiting, I think of her. I think of her."_

_Uh oh. This sounds personal. _But then her mind transformed the Jeffersonian into a dimly lit stage, and the spotlight shone brightly on Sweets as he continued his song.

_"Those eyes that saw him happy long ago. Those eyes that gave him life and hope he'd never known. How can he see the girl and miss those blue eyes? Those eyes that loved only him—never me. Those eyes that never saw me, never knew I longed to hold her close, to live at last in Lily's eyes."_

_Aw hell! _Lily thought as the stage faded away, leaving only a dreary-looking Sweets. _Here comes the guilt!_

_

* * *

_

Lily had just managed to sneak herself back to Angela's office, only to find the artist missing. She ignored the urge to stomp her foot. Suddenly, someone behind her cleared their throat and she spun around.

"Zack? Hi! Ahem." She swallowed, smiling cautiously.

Zack opened and closed his mouth. "Lily, I apologize."

She stared for a moment.

"Zack—" she tried to say.

"No, let me finish." He inhaled slowly. _"I've never been in love before. I thought my heart was safe. I thought I knew the score. But this is wine that's all too strange and strong, I'm full of foolish song and out my song must pour. So please forgive this helpless haze I'm in. I've really never been in love before."_

Lily blinked, expecting the Broadway aspect to fade away and his real words to trickle through the haze of her mind. _I should really go see a doctor or something if this keeps happening._ And then, slowly, she began to realize something. This wasn't her imagination. He had actually _sung_ the words to a Broadway song!

"Zack—"

"Lily," he said, very seriously. "The song meant I love you."

"I know what the song meant," replied Lily, smiling like an idiot. "I love you, too."

"I know. You already told me."

"I know that you know. I'm just repeating it."

"Why?"

"Zack, Zack, Zack. There are some things you'll just never understand."

* * *

Lily literally danced into Cam's office, spinning in a circle with a goofy grin.

"What's gotten into you?" asked Cam. Angela and Brennan watched, slightly stunned.

Lily giggled, curtsying. _"I feel pretty. Oh so pretty. I feel pretty and witty and gay!"_ she sang loudly, twirling as if in the arms of an invisible dance partner. _"And I pity any girl who isn't me today."_

She stopped in front of Cam. _"I feel charming, oh so charming." _Another giggle. _"It's alarming how charming I feel, and so pretty that I hardly can believe I'm real."_

Cam stared. "Have you lost your mind?"

"I think she has," said Brennan.

Angela just nodded in agreement. Lily pranced over to the glass by Cam's desk, looking happily at her reflection.

_"See the pretty girl in that mirror there?" _She pointed. _"Who can that attractive girl be?" _

"Where does she see a mirror?" Brennan asked Cam.

_"Such a pretty face, such a pretty dress, such a pretty smile, such a pretty me!" _Lily threw her arms around Angela's and Cam's shoulders. _"I feel stunning and entrancing. Feel like running and dancing for joy." _She sighed wistfully, bringing her arms around herself in a hug. _"For I'm loved by a pretty wonderful boy!"_

Angela's face lit up, as did Cam's, and even Brennan understood what that meant.

"Did he—?" asked Ang.

"Did she—?" questioned Cam.

"Did they—?" said Brennan.

The three of them turned to each other, and gradually, laughing, they joined in.

_"Have you met my good young friend Lily, the craziest girl on the block? You'll know her the minute you see her, she's the one who is in an advanced state of shock."_

Angela began to dance around the room with the other woman, making fun of her playfully. _"She thinks she's in love, she'll dance in the rain."_

Giggling, Lily hummed the tune of "Singing in the Rain" for a few bars before switching back to the previous tune, and Angela continued,_ "She isn't in love, she's merely insane."_

_"It must be the stress," _Cam sang.

_"Or her mind's a mess," _contributed Brennan.

_"Or too tight a dress," _teased Angela.

_"I can't even guess!" _Cam exclaimed.

Now all began, _"Keep away from her, send for Addy, this is not the girl we call Lily."_

Lily weaved between the three women, still smiling and humming and dancing with her invisible partner.

_"Modest and pure, polite and refined."_

_"La la la," _Lily added.

_"Well-bred and mature, and out of her mind!"_

* * *

Brennan walked into her office, satisfied. Zack had discovered that Sophia Langston had been killed by a single blow to the head, and he was going over the possible murder weapons, but Hodgins had already guess that the Broadway star had had a sandbag dropped on her head.

She stopped. Booth sat nervously on the corner of her desk, obviously waiting for her.

"Booth? What do you want?" she asked, going to her computer.

"Look, Bones," said Booth. "I don't want this thing between the Feds and the Jeffersonian to interfere with…"

She looked up at him. "With what?"

"Our partnership," he said meaningfully. "I don't want our friendship to end because of a disagreement between our workplaces."

"Why would our friendship end, Booth? I don't understand your reasoning."

"So, we're okay?"

"We were never not-okay," said Brennan incredulously.

"Oh. Good." He walked to her doorway and paused, smiling. "Hey, Bones?"

"Yes?" She looked up again.

_"Anything you can do, I can do better. I can do anything better than you." _He grinned wider.

Brennan raised her eyebrows. "You're singing, too? What is it about this case that has people singing?"

"C'mon, Bones, just try it. I think this song is almost made for us."

"I sang with Lily and Cam and Ang a few minutes ago, that counts."

"No, c'mon, sing _now_. Please?"

Brennan sighed, clearing her throat and sang, _"Anything you can shoot, I can shoot better."_

"Oh, no, you can't change the words on me."

"Yes, I can."

"No, you can't."

"Yes, I can."

Booth paused, realizing what was happening, and Brennan smiled. Booth laughed. _"Any crook you can catch, I can catch faster."_

_"I can catch any crook faster than you," _Brennan intoned.

He blinked. "No, you can't."

"Yes, I can."

"_No_, you can't."

"Yes, I _can._"

"Oh yeah?" He puffed up his chest. _"Any case you handle, I handle better."_

Brennan flipped her hand. _"I handle any case better than you."_

_"No, you can't."_

_"Yes, I can."_

"No, you can't."

"Yes, I can."

"No, you can't."

Brennan smiled again. "You're right. I can't."

_

* * *

_A/N: okay! so now that it is complete, here is the full list of songs! just for the heck of it. and yes, i purposely changed the words to some of them to make them more relevant.

Tonight - Feds and Squints

Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better) - Booth and Brennan

I Don't Know How To Love Him - Lily

Medley (Includes "Who Will Love Me As I Am?" and "They Say") - Zack and Hodgins

She Loves Me - Zack

Lily's Eyes - Sweets

I've Never Been In Love Before - Zack

I Feel Pretty - Lily, Cam, Angela, and Brennan

Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better) (Reprise) - Booth and Brennan


	25. Zackaroni and Cheese

A/N: blaah this took so long and it's so short.

but i was seriously considering just ending it at the musical. there was a lot of writing and crossing out and paper-crinkling and playing basketball with the wastebasket.

no joke. it was honestly really hard to add another chapter. in the end, it was you readers who convinced me. you all would be so crestfallen if i just ended it. so i won't. i'll continue.

* * *

Lily Whitaker woke up at 5 a.m. on the morning of December 14th with a contented sigh. She trained her ears, but heard nothing; Adeline was still asleep. Lily extracted herself from the sleeping form of Dr. Zack Addy and stepped gingerly out of bed. She was officially 22 years old.

* * *

"Good morning," said Lily pleasantly, coffee held aloft.

Zack held her hand as the two walked into the Jeffersonian. He hesitated a moment before kissing her on the forehead and vacating her side as Brennan gestured him over. It had been almost two full weeks since the Sophia Langston case revealed Zack's feelings. Lily practically skipped into Cam's office.

"Good morning," Lily repeated.

Cam smiled slightly, ever cautious of Lily's sometimes fleeting bouts of cheeriness. "Good morning, Lily."

"Do you have a job for me today?" Lily smiled widely back.

"Actually, I have good news," said Cam. She was leafing through a manila folder as she spoke, always busy. "Booth got you a job offer."

Lily's smile faltered. "What?"

"I know you don't really need to work, with your books and everything, but you enjoy the work here, so I figured I'd pass word along. A position opened up in the FBI as a professional interrogator. They'll train you to use to terms correctly, of course, and Booth will most likely want you to have basic training with a gun—"

"But that means I won't be working here anymore," Lily interrupted.

Cam looked understanding. "If you want to stay because of Zack, I'm sure Booth will understand."

_Will he?_ Or, a better question would be, _Will Zack?_

* * *

"Hey," said Angela with a grin, wrapping Lily in a hug. "Happy birthday, sweetie."

"Thanks, Ang."

"So." Angela sat. "How are things going with Zack?"

Lily smiled. "Good."

"And the sex?"

Lily flushed crimson. "We haven't, uh…"

"You haven't had _sex_ with him?"

"Well, no…"

Angela's jaw nearly touched the floor. "I thought you moved in with him?"

Lily rubbed her arm and walked to Angela's couch, sitting next to her, and said, "I did."

"You're doing everything out of order!" Angela exclaimed.

"Doing what out of order?" Lily asked. She was honestly confused.

"Your relationship." Angela launched into her lecture. "Step one, dates. Step two, sex. Step three, 'I love you's. Step four, long weekend. Step five, extended vacation. Step six, moving in, step seven, meet the family—"

"How many steps are there?" Lily's eyes were wide, and there was a small twitch just beneath her cheek.

"A lot, sweetie."

She fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve, looking guilty. She had gotten more confident in her outfits since Zack's admission, and she now wore a pretty yellow sundress that had had her boyfriend staring that morning. "Well, that's part of what I thought I'd tell you…"

"What?" Angela looked worried.

Lily took a deep breath and said it all in a rush. "We skipped stages one and two and went from three to six to four to seven and—"

A normal person wouldn't have had any inkling of what the woman was saying, but perceptive Angela caught on immediately. "Seven?" she squeaked. "You've met his family?"

"Met…meeting this weekend…same thing."

"WHAT?!"

Lily flinched. "Oh, and Booth wants me to take an FBI job."

Angela stared in silence for a solid minute. "What _else_ haven't you told me?"

"No, I think that's it." She smiled a little. "Why do I feel like I should apologize?"

"Oh, sweetie; 'cause you should."

* * *

Booth came jogging into the Jeffersonian, a wider, more proud grin on his face than Hodgins had ever seen.

"What's got you so happy?" asked the man with a smile.

"New case," replied Booth. He jogged up the steps and, glancing down, Hodgins could see that the FBI agent was wearing green and blue striped socks today.

"Fun socks again?"

Booth's eyes were alight. "Present from Lily."

"I see." No matter what he said, Booth just adored Lily. Hodgins chuckled. "So why the excitement about murder?"

"Special reason." So saying, hyper Booth turned in a circle, looking confused. "Where's Bones and the kid?"

"Oh, a full sentence," Hodgins teased. "Lily's eating lunch with Zack. Haven't seen Dr. Brennan since this morning."

"Thanks, Hodge." Booth gave him a smile, clapped him on the shoulder, and left.

Hodgins merely laughed.

* * *

Lily stirred her macaroni and cheese absently, chin placed in her hand. The fork scraped against the bottom of the bowl, and Zack looked up. She looked dejected, her face scrunched in a strange expression, like she was trying to find the positives in a situation and the negative kept altering things. Her blonde hair hung in her eyes, something he knew she infinitely detested—for she had recently bought three packages of bobby pins, complaining of just that—but she made no motion to move it. She didn't even seem to notice it was there. Her nose wrinkled suddenly, as if she had smelled something bad.

"Do you not like the macaroni and cheese?" he asked in concern.

Startled, she raised her eyes to him. "What?"

"You're making a face," he said. He frowned tightly, trying to replicate her expression. "Is it the food?"

"No? No," she said assuredly. "I love the lunch, Zack. It was really sweet of you."

"I'm sensing a 'but', as Angela would say." Zack hesitated a moment, and then reached across the table and awkwardly pulled at Lily's hand until he held it. "There is something wrong."

Suddenly, a dam broke behind his vocal cords, and he said, in a rush, "Is it because you're meeting my family? There are quite a lot of them, there's a chance they won't like you, you just moved in a little while ago, Hodgins _said_ this would happen, he said you'd panic and I shouldn't rush things—"

"Zack." Lily blinked.

Zack stopped, looking down sheepishly. Lily could tell his boyish face was beet red.

"Relax," she said. "It's not your family. I'm psyched to meet your family."

"Psyched?" he repeated, confused. He looked up again and met her eyes questioningly.

"Excited," clarified Lily, squeezing his hand. "It's just…What would you do…if I didn't work here anymore?"

His eyes widened and a look of panic overtook him, panic so severe Lily was concerned that her boyfriend was going to have a heart attack. _Boyfriend. I like the sound of that…Focus, Lily, focus._

"Are you leaving again?" he asked. His brown eyes searched hers, and she thought again about how cute he was. "I thought Caroline said your father had no power. I thought you said he couldn't make you leave anymore."

"I'm not leaving." With those words, Zack didn't exhale a held breath—he wasn't that kind of man. But the unbridled relief that washed over his face tugged at Lily's heart.

_Can't tell him,_ she thought. _I can't tell him yet. Oh, God, what am I going to tell Booth?_

_

* * *

_

"Hello, Camille," said Booth with a wide smile.

"Seeley," Cam responded. She smoothed her skirt absently.

Booth paced a short distance between the doorway, smile still in place and looking like it was cemented on. He was unbelievably…suspiciously…happy. "Has Lily answered you yet on the job offer?"

_Ah, so that's why. _Cam shook her head with a little laugh. _Ridiculous. Can't he just admit how much fatherly emotion he has for her? _"No, she hasn't."

"Oh." Booth's face fell for a fraction of a second, but it brightened right back when he said, "I'm going to go talk to her."

_He sounds like a toddler with a shiny new toy. _The corner of Cam's mouth turned down a little. _How is he going to react if Lily decides to stay for Zack?_

* * *

A/N: arrrgh. i'm a pirate!

hahah. i hope this was a good enough fix for some of you. :\ i promise to try and update sooner, but no promises everyone.

i shouldn't have to say this, but i will: review.

^_^


	26. Be Kind, Rewind

A/N: OMIGOD I AM SO SORRY.

writer's block really really REALLY sucks. it took me so long just to crank this out. i apologize! but HOLY CRAP! **THANK YOU! **300 REVIEWS! :DDDD

i'm gonna cry...*sniff*

* * *

"Hey, kid!" called Booth cheerily, lifting his hand.

Lily's head snapped up from her bowl, and when she saw Booth she attempted a smile, but even to Zack it looked pained.

"Happy birthday!" Booth wrapped the young woman in a bone-crushing hug. She squeaked in surprise. Once he had let go, he fumbled in his pockets. "I know it's in one of these—Aha!" He held out a small wrapped square.

Lily took it hesitantly.

"Don't look so scared," he said, laughing. "Open it."

She pulled off the wrapping slowly, feeling apprehensive. Her eyes widened. "Oh my God."

"It's a new music player." The FBI Agent grinned proudly. "I saw that your other one was dying really easily so I figured it must be the battery, and then I noticed it didn't hold very much data on it, so I got you a new one."

Lily put a hand over her mouth. Zack looked at her, confused, and said, "You told me you didn't want presents."

"I don't," she said hurriedly. "Booth, this is too much—"

"No, it's not. Just take it." He put his hands in his pockets. "Camille tells me you haven't answered yet."

"Oh, I…" She cast a quick look at Zack as his confused expression deepened.

"What question is she to answer?" he asked.

Lily looked between the two men, grinning Booth and frowning Zack, helplessly, and then flung the music player on the table and said, "Booth, this is bribery!"

Booth looked surprised. "What? How?"

"Because know I feel guilty saying no!" she exploded. Then she promptly stuck her head in her hands, inhaled sharply, and yelled into her hands.

Blinking, Zack asked, "What am I missing?"

"Booth wants me to take an FBI job," Lily said, her voice muffled. "I want to take it, but I don't want to leave you—"

"Lily," said Zack incredulously. "You live with me. We're together at the end of every day. Just because I find it enjoyable to spend work with you as well doesn't mean you reject a job you want because of me." Here, he paused, glancing quickly at Booth. He leaned forward and added in a conspiratorially low voice, "I'm emotionally tied to you, remember?"

"I can hear you, Zack." Booth raised an eyebrow. The other man turned pink. "Emotionally tied, Lily? Translate the Zack-speak for me."

"He means he loves me," Lily said quietly. She sighed, then turned to fully face Booth. "Alright. When do I start?"

* * *

Lily stared, her mouth agape. Booth looked at her expression with amusement, then chuckled.

"Seriously, Booth?" she asked weakly. "First thing?"

"Seriously, kid." He slapped the little handgun into her palm. "The target's right there. Have at it."

Her eyes widened comically in panic. "You haven't taught me anything! Shouldn't we be going over gun safety or something?"

He chuckled and said, "You've shot a gun once before, kid. I think you know not to point the business end at yourself. Besides, formal training makes you stiff; we need you limber. Just aim and shoot." So saying, he slipped earphones around her head.

Lily leveled the gun in her hands, gripping it tightly. The last time she had held one, Zack had just been shot. The last time she had held one, she hadn't thought about it, she'd just pointed and pulled the trigger. And even then her reaction time had been slow enough to allow herself to get shot first. She took a deep breath, squeezed the trigger. The bang echoed around. She winced belatedly. Booth nodded his approval and made a circling motion with his hand, gesturing for her to keep going. She pulled the trigger again, and, feeling the rush and ignoring the noise—even muffled as it was by the earphones—kept pulling until her round was empty.

"Reload," Booth mouthed.

Lily blinked, then stared down at the shiny black gun. _Uh…How do I do that?_

Booth laughed, demonstrated, and then popped the cartridge out for her to load herself. She fumbled with it for a few minutes, cursing, before successfully reloading and shooting her second round. Booth, who was leaning against the side wall now, hit the button beside her, and the little paper target came slowly towards her. She held her breath…and released it in a disappointed whoosh.

Simply put, her aim sucked.

Booth looked at her from the corner of his eye, then looked at the target. "It's not bad. Yes, you missed the bulls eye—"

"Booth," she said slowly. "Half of my rounds missed thee target completely."

"Well, this is just proof that no one's perfect." Booth grinned. "You've got writing, singing, parenting, relationships, and crime-solving down to an art. You can't be good at everything, kid."

Lily grunted and tilted her head to the ceiling. "I'm bad at art. Like, _horrible _at art. Can't you just take that and let me have shooting?"

Booth clapped her on the shoulder with a smile and shook his head, his expressive eyes shining with amusement. "We'll work on that, Lily."

* * *

At the Jeffersonian, meanwhile, Angela walked carefully into the medico-science lab, holding a square shape wrapped in tarp. Hodgins looked over at her and smiled.

"Back from your lunch break?" he asked.

Angela glanced around suspiciously. "Is Lily here yet?"

"No, why?"

Grinning broadly, Angela whipped off the tarp and held the uncovered shape aloft. It was a canvas, on which was painted a brilliant picture of two children, a boy and a girl, a sun setting on the ocean behind them. The boy had his arm around the girl's shoulders, a goofy smile in place, and the girl was looking at the boy with admiration.

"Wow, Ang," said Hodgins, exhaling slowly. "That might be one of your best."

"You think so?" Angela was practically bouncing, she was so excited. "I painted it for Lily. For her birthday."

"Ah." Hodgins put his hands in the pockets of his pants. "I see you have also ignored her insistence that we not give her presents."

Angela cocked her head a bit to the side, bouncy curls bobbing a little, and asked, "What'd you get her?"

Hodgins reached over near the computer screen and grabbed a little brown box as Angela rewrapped her painting in the tarp. "Crystallized Columbian emerald in it's uncut form."

He opened the box and showed Angela a brief view of a beautiful near-perfect rectangular blue-green gemstone, surrounded almost completely in black rock.

"I found it," he said, "when I went on my last trip overseas."

"It's beautiful," breathed Angela. "I suppose being rich has it's perks, huh?"

Hodgins rolled his eyes at her teasing. Just then, a very flustered-looking Zack rushed past them, going at a fast, frantic walk. "Hey, Zack," Hodgins called.

Zack whirled around, seeming lost of a moment, and then he said, "Hello, Hodgins."

He turned, obviously intending to leave again, but Angela said, "Whoa now, what's the hurry, Z-man?"

He looked at her with a strange expression, his lips in a thin line. "I need to find a place to hide."

For a moment, no one spoke. Angela and Hodgins merely blinked; that had to have been one of the strangest things the young man had ever said.

"Any particular reason why?" Hodgins asked finally, breaking the awkward silence.

"Lily will be coming back soon." Zack peeked around him. "Do you think the space beneath that desk is big enough for me?"

"Zack, what are you talking about?" asked Angela. She blinked again. "Are you talking about hiding from _Lily_."

Hesitating just a moment, as if afraid they would laugh, Zack nodded.

"Why?" demanded Hodge, moving his hands emphatically. "Are you mad at her?"

"No." Zack fidgeted slightly.

"If you're not mad at her, why are you shunning her?" Hodgins looked like he absolutely didn't comprehend.

Zack stiffened, saying, "She's leaving the Jeffersonian."

"_So_? You two still _live_ together, don't you?! Or are you going to shun her at home, too?!"

"I'm not shunning her. I'm avoiding her. Obviously, she's upset with me," he said, looking at the floor.

"Oh come on," said Angela, exasperated, "she's not mad at—"

"If she's leaving, I've done something wrong." Something akin to pain flashed over Zack's features. "She's mad at me." He paused, and then repeated, "She's leaving the Jeffersonian, therefore she is angry with me for arranging for her to meet my family."

Hodgins rubbed his temples. How was it possible for one man to be so romantically inept? "I'm sure she probably just thought she'd be of more use with the FBI and whoa, whoa, _whoa_, my man, you're having her meet your family?"

* * *

A/N: sorry i left it on kindof a weird note. let me know what you think please!

i really don't know what to say...this story and the reactions of my readers has far surpassed my expectations. this is a much bigger hit than i would ever have thought. i'm so grateful to you guys.

:)


	27. Closure

A/N: sorry this took so loooooong. _ i've been so busy and writer's block and just gaaaaaah. so here it is, finally, but it's short. don't eat me.

it gets a teeny bit risque, so this chapter is basically why it's rated T. well, that and the language. so yeah.

* * *

Lily stomped into the Jeffersonian with her face scrunched in anger, her cheeks a rosy, indignant pink. Booth jogged in behind her, calling out, "Kid! Aw, come on, kid, you can't still be mad!"

"Yes, I can!" she snapped back.

Angela and Hodgins filtered into the room. "What's going on?" asked Angela.

"Booth got me in trouble on my first day!" Lily grumbled. "First day and I get scolded for 'ignoring gun safety procedure'!"

"I got yelled at, too," protested Booth. "Doesn't that mean anything?"

"No!"

"But _why_?"

Hodgins resisted the urge to chuckle. Booth sounded like more of a whiney kid than Lily ever had.

"_Why_?" Lily spun on her heel, clenching her fists at her sides. "You've been there how many years? You've been shooting a gun for how long? You getting in trouble is nothing! I was there less than four hours!"

Booth merely sputtered as Lily trudged away. Zack popped his head out of Angela's office with an innocent expression as he said, "Angela, I don't fit under your desk either—"

He was interrupted when Lily went straight up to him and hugged him fiercely. His eyes widened and, shocked, he looked up at Angela and Hodge.

"Looks like she's not mad at you, Z-man," Hodgins said, laughing.

Lily's angry breathing slowed as she stood in Zack's arms, and she eventually relaxed.

"Zack?" she murmured against his chest.

"Er, yes?"

She titled her head back to look into his uncertain eyes. "Kiss me."

He pressed his lips to hers chastely, but she shook her head.

"Like you mean it." Her voice was tinged with desperation.

He kissed her again, lingering and soft, aware that Ang and Hodgins were probably watching. Lily grasped hold of the front of his blue lab coat, pulling him closer. As per usual, the longer she spent in contact with this man, just focusing on him holding her, nothing else, the more stress and frustration simply melted off of her.

_As cliché as that sounds._

Then Zack's grip on her tightened, his lips moved more forcefully, with more purpose. His mouth opened, and he sucked at her lower lip, causing her to gasp. Zack had only been like this once or twice in their entire relationship. Then again, hadn't she been asking for more passion when she'd latched onto him like a desperate hussy?

Zack growled low in his throat, a guttural sound he'd never made before, and it made Lily's legs quiver. Becoming light-headed, she broke away, in need of oxygen.

Hodgins and Angela were grinning, while Booth's jaw practically touched the floor. Zack slowly, self-consciously, smoothed a piece of hair back from her face.

"I have more work to do, Lily," he said quietly.

"Okay," she murmured back. "Monica's going to teach me to make homemade macaroni and cheese tonight for dinner."

Zack nodded once, kissing her forehead awkwardly and leaving. She had a moment to ponder how perhaps his reaction to her kiss was just a fluke—after all, it was pretty un-Zack-like—before Angela rushed up to her

"That was steamy." Hodgins chuckled again.

Angela had wide eyes. "You're trying to tell me that even with kisses like that you two haven't done it?"

"They haven't had sex yet?" Hodge asked. "I'm not surprised. Zack thinks he's horrible in the bed department, he probably doesn't want to mess anything up with her—"

"Um…" Lily's cheeks were by this time a bright crimson.

"Don't tell me," said Angela conspiratorially. "You _did _sleep with him."

"_No_." Lily sighed, leading them into Ang's office and closing the door carefully. "Although, when I do, he'll be the best I've had so far."

Angela blinked. "What do you mean?"

Again, the young woman blushed brilliantly. "Zack's not the one stopping it, I am. I'm still a…"

"You're a _virgin_?!" Angela shrieked.

Lily looked down sheepishly, nodding. Hodgins merely looked confused.

"How?" he asked.

"Well, when I was kidnapped by Hecklend, he raped me, remember? So, I suppose I'm not technically a virgin, but I don't like to count that as my first time." She cleared her throat awkwardly. "And ever since, I'm kind of…skittish when men touch me intimately."

"Oh, sweetie," said Angela, her expression becoming sympathetic.

"It's common," Hodgins reassured her. "You have trust issues now, it's simply to protect yourself."

"I love Zack," she muttered softly. "And I want him to make love to me, but…" For the third time, she blushed.

"I have an idea," said Hodgins. "Why don't you go talk to Hecklend in prison? Take Zack along."

Lily's nose wrinkled.

"It'll be fine. Trust me."

* * *

"I don't understand," said Zack, "the logic of leaving work early to see Hecklend in prison at four in the afternoon."

"I need to get closure about the whole thing." Lily hesitated with her hand in the door. On the other side, Hecklend sat handcuffed to a table, clothed in an orange jumpsuit. _Yeah, closure. Or so I'm told. Sometimes I hate you, Hodgins. _She looked back at Zack.

"Will you…" she trailed off.

As if he knew what she'd been going to ask, he reached out and took her hand, and she opened the door. Hecklend looked up, smirking.

"Well, well. When they told me I had visitors, I didn't expect to see cutie-pie and her boyfriend."

Lily's grip on Zack's hand tightened. "Do you know what you did, you perverted bastard?"

"Hm." He put a finger on his chin in mock thoughtfulness. "Murdered your beloved big brother? That's why I'm here, isn't it? Death row convict." He began to laugh.

"You _raped _a little girl," hissed Lily, her anger quickly rising.

"Oh, yes." Hecklend's grin widened. "Still bitter about that, cutie-pie?"

_This was a bad idea, Hodge._

"Don't call me that."

"I know why you're here. You want that little boy toy on your arm to get some pointers from a real man," he chortled.

Zack looked at Lily, squeezed her hand. "Let's just leave, Lily. This is helping nothing. You're only getting worked up."

"I hope you have fun rotting in here, Drew," said Lily coldly. His smirk vanished. "As for Zack, he needs no 'pointers', especially not from a disgusting creature like you."

She stood to leave, turning towards the door. Honestly, what had Hodgins been thinking, how on Earth was this going to help anything?

"Still a nice piece of ass, cutie-pie," came Hecklend's voice behind her.

She whirled on him angrily, prepared to hit him, but she saw that Zack had beat her to it. Hecklend's nose crunched loudly under Zack's knuckles. Her eyes widened in shock. Zack smiled at her unsurely, and said, "It seemed like a logical way to get him to shut up."

After another moment of stunned silence, Lily smiled brilliantly back.

"Let's go, Zack," she said. "Hodgins was right. This was just what I needed."

* * *

A/N: so. any opinions on what's going to happen next? and what will Zack's reward be for being unZacklike? ;)


	28. Adorable, Sweet, Unbelievably Cliche

A/N: in response to the anonymous review (yes, i do respond to some of these, haha) asking me not to have them say 'Hodge' anymore, i am pleasantly informing you of the fact that Angela, Booth, and Zack have been seen in the show to occasionally call Jack Hodgins 'Hodge'. the only reason i know this is because i have the first three seasons on dvd from christmas and that's literally all i've been watching _since_ christmas (in an attempt to get inspiration for this fanfiction).

on with the story!

* * *

"Hodgins," whispered Zack into the phone, hunched over secretively. "I need your help."

"With what?" crackled Hodgins' voice through the speaker. The other man sat on his couch at home, watching reruns of _Battlestar Galactica _and missing his old roomie—though he'd never verbally admit it.

"Lily."

_Of course. _Immediately, Hodgins' laughter filtered through.

Frowning, Zack didn't believe the man fully understood what he meant and so, obviously, he began to explain. "From her body language and speech, I have deduced that Lily is—" Zack stopped, confused, as Hodgins laughed louder.

"Dude, just say it," he chuckled. "Lily wants you."

Zack nodded, a blush forming on his cheeks, and then remembered his best friend couldn't see him. "Yes. If by that you mean sex, yes I believe she does. What do I do?"

"What do you mean what do you do?"

Thinking Hodgin's hadn't heard him, Zack said again, "What do I do?"

"You're scaring me here, Z-man. I know you've had sex before. You should know what to do." Hodgins was utterly shocked. _Is he _that _worried? Wow. I always knew he was more serious about her than he was with Naomi from Paleontology but this is a bit insane. _"God, you're not kidding, are you?"

"I know I should agree," he began unsurely—"Duh!" chimed Hodgins—"but I want…" His cheeks darkened in color, and he trailed off.

_Ohhhhhh. _Hodgins grinned in realization, though Zack couldn't see. "You want to impress her," he guessed.

"Yes," admitted Zack stiffly.

"Lily likes the romantic stuff, doesn't she? The kind of cutesy stuff I do for Angela, only coming from you it'll be more serious. Try that."

"Uh, um…" Zack's mind went blank. "I can't think of anything. Anything at all. I am completely at a loss." His voice grew thoughtful. "This has never happened to me before." A frown invaded his features again. "What if I mess up?"

"Which part, the setup or the follow through?" Hodgins smirked.

"I do not understand your metaphor, though I can assume that if I did I would find it very unfunny." Zack stood and began to pace the length of Lily's bathroom, in which he was hiding. "I require assistance."

"Where _is _Lily?" asked Hodge, biting back more laughter.

"She's in the living room," said Zack. "I told her to watch _Serenity. _She has yet to see it."

"You have your loving, willing girlfriend watching _Serenity_?!" Hodgins exclaimed.

Zack held the phone away from his ear, wincing, and then protested, "I needed time to prepare! I have approximately two hours."

"Alright, dude," said Hodgins, smiling. "First of all, don't panic or think too much. Here's what you're going to do."

* * *

"That is _such_ a good movie!" Lily gushed, practically skipping into the bedroom to try and find her boyfriend. "I can't believe I never watched it before! I cried when they killed off Wash, though—" She froze in the doorway. "Oh my God."

The lights were off, candles lit everywhere. The sweet, warm smell of vanilla, her favorite scent, wafted towards her, and Lily could see a rose on the pillow of the bed.

"Zack…?"

Zack approached her slowly, looking self-conscious. "Do you like it?"

For a moment, Lily was unable to find the right word. Adorable wasn't what he'd been going for, lovely didn't seem to fit, so finally she settled for…

"It's so sweet, Zack. Where did you get…?" She gestured at the flower. "Is that the rose from the hallway bouquet?"

Zack's cheeks went pink as he nodded.

"That's the Zack I adore." Lily smiled and stepped forward, tugging playfully on the front of his shirt. "I love you, Doctor Zack Addy."

"I am not sure how precisely this situation elicits that reaction—" He stopped. "I love you too, Lily."

Lily's smile grew, a small blush on her face. "C'mere, lover boy."

They fell back onto the bed, sheets crumpling comfortably, and as his slow kisses lost their hesitancy, Lily allowed herself to be loved.

* * *

A/N: it's short. i did that on purpose to not only tide you over for the moment and leave you wanting more, but also because i thought such a big, important moment in their relationship deserved it's own chapter. here it is, the long awaited moment.

and the story's not over yet, loves :)

please review.


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